The Cleveland Browns could make a surprising move on rookie quarterback Taylen Green.
The Browns selected Green in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft out of Arkansas. He made the 53-man roster as the third-string emergency quarterback while Dillon Gabriel is on the IL.
Cleveland will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road on Sunday in Week 2 NFL action.
Cleveland Browns QB Taylen Green Gets Surprising News
In Week 1, Browns starting quarterback Deshaun Watson struggled, and there are already calls for Shedeur Sanders to start.
If the Browns do turn to Sanders in Week 3, Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot revealed Green would be the backup, as Watson would be the third-string emergency quarterback.
“If Sanders gets the nod vs. the Panthers, who will be his backup?,” Cabot wrote. “With the Browns pivoting to full youth mode possibly by next Sunday, it might not make much sense to have Watson serve as the backup. He’s in the final year of his five-year contract, and is effectively done here when benched.
Green, the Browns’ sixth-round pick out of Arkansas, isn’t necessarily ready for extended duty. But activating him those for two weeks ahead of Watson might make more sense just from a developmental standpoint. When Gabriel recovers from his back injury, he’ll likely be QB2 behind Sanders.”
Green being the Browns’ backup quarterback by Week 3 would be a major surprise after he was on the roster bubble before cutdown day. Yet, due to Gabriel’s injury, Green made the roster and now could be the backup next week as Cleveland looks to make a quarterback change.
Watson is in the final year of his five-year, $230 million deal with the Browns. If he gets benched after Week 2, his time with Cleveland would be seemingly over, and it’s unclear if any NFL teams would be interested in him as a free agent.
Cleveland Could Make QB Change
Browns head coach Todd Monken named Watson the starter for the season, and they could already make a move.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network and ESPN revealed on Sunday that Cleveland could make a QB change based on how Watson does against the Buccaneers.
“Decision time is coming for the Cleveland Browns and their quarterback situation. Deshaun Watson will make his second straight start on the road to open the season for the Browns. And after that, Cleveland will make its evaluation,” Rapoport wrote.
“While no firm decision has been made for Week 3, the belief is that the first two games would serve as a natural evaluation point. In other words, the Browns could use the return to Cleveland for their Week 3 home opener and a two-game sample size as the impetus for a quarterback change.”
Watson went 16-of-22 for 205 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception last week. The Browns offense struggled in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Cleveland Browns QB Taylen Green Handed Surprising Take on Future Ahead of Week 2