There are bad decisions in sports, and then there are decisions that make you genuinely wonder what the hell a franchise is doing. The Cleveland Browns have been a joke for a long time, and it looks like they wish to continue being one.
The Browns have officially named Deshaun Watson their starting quarterback over Shedeur Sanders. And quite frankly, I have no idea what they are doing.
First, let’s review what Watson has accomplished in Cleveland as their starting quarterback since the Browns traded for him in 2022. Oh that’s right, nothing. So instead let’s look at some facts. The Browns traded three first-round picks for Watson and handed him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract as well. He has played in just 19 games, where he has mostly been terrible, while also suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, tearing his Achilles, and then re-tearing the same Achilles during rehabilitation. Watson has not played in a regular season game since October 2024.
And after all that, he will start Week 1 in 2026. Over the guy they drafted last year with talent and upside.
This isn’t just a questionable decision. It’s a decision that makes absolutely no sense for where the Browns are as a franchise.
Why Watson?
Let me start this by saying I do not like Deshaun Watson. Anyone accused by more than 20 women of sexual misconduct isn’t really someone I’m going to be a fan of. However, the allegations apparently didn’t bother the Browns, as they gave him $230 million fully guaranteed just one year after the story broke involving multiple masseuses. Fair to say I’m thrilled this worked horribly for both sides. But I’m going to do my best to keep this football related, as much as I think Watson is a piece of shit and the Browns suck for rewarding such an asshole with all that money.
Ok back to football. Watson played in just 19 games from 2022-2024 for the Browns where he had 19 TDs and 12 INTs. Granted he only played in 6, 6, and then 7 games respectively those three seasons, he never had a QBR over a 45 in any single season (21 QBR in 7 games in 2024). He also dealt with injuries and a suspension.
And it’s not like Watson came into training camp and preseason and completely blew Sanders away either. Watson looked pretty good in his first preseason game, but struggled in the second, going just 5-for-12 for 36 yards and an interception. Sanders hasn’t exactly looked like a superstar either, but nobody watching these two play this preseason could reasonably say Watson clearly separated himself from Sanders. If Watson had looked significantly better than Sanders throughout the preseason, I’d at least understand the decision. I still wouldn’t necessarily agree with it, but I’d understand it. But that’s not what happened.
Also, it’s not just me who can’t stand this guy. Browns fans clearly don’t want him either. Watson was heavily booed by the Cleveland crowd during his preseason appearance this weekend, and Watson’s press conference response regarding the matter left little to be desired. The Browns are willingly handing the starting quarterback job back to a guy their own fanbase can’t stand and who has mostly sucked for them anyway.
Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam even admitted this trade was a “big swing and miss.” Yet here is Watson starting for the Browns once again.
The Browns Should Be Finding Out What They Have in Sanders
Listen, I’m not claiming Sanders is definitely the future in Cleveland. He was once viewed as a potential top-10 pick, yet slid all the way to Round 5. That doesn’t happen unless teams have legitimate concerns. However, he is still a talented 24-year-old with plenty of upside. Sanders certainly doesn’t lack confidence either, which isn’t shocking given who his dad is. But it’s also a trait I think is very important to be a solid NFL QB. You need to have extreme belief in yourself, perhaps even a little arrogance, to be a great NFL QB.
Wanna know who else doesn’t know if Sanders can be the future in Cleveland? The Browns! Which is exactly why he is the glaringly obvious choice to get this job. Let Sanders play and evaluate him this season. If you like what you see, then great. Keep developing him and move forward with him. If you don’t like what you see, move on and try to find a QB in what should be a great 2027 NFL Draft class.
The Browns have spent three years finding out what Deshaun Watson can give them. Why aren’t they spending 2026 finding out what Sanders can give them?
Stop Trying to Justify the Watson Trade
It’s gone, Cleveland. The $230 million is a sunk cost. Those three first-round picks, never getting back. Let it go. You fucked up and made a mistake. Bad trades, bad contracts, and bad decisions just come with the territory of being a front office in pro sports. Continuing to make bad decisions because of that bad investment isn’t going to magically make that investment better.
I’m not sure if this is what the Browns are doing, but I can’t think of any other reason to start this guy. It truly is just blowing my mind. The trade sucked, the contract sucked, and he sucked. Just start Sanders, see what he’s got, and happily waive goodbye to Watson after this season ends.
Conclusion
Sanders may not be the answer. For all I know he will completely flame out. But Cleveland has absolutely nothing to lose by finding out. What they do have to lose is an entire season of development and evaluation while starting a quarterback they have absolutely no reason to believe is their long-term answer.
Because imagine getting to the 2027 NFL Draft and sitting there wondering if you need to draft another quarterback. Imagine looking back at 2026 and realizing you still have no idea what Shedeur Sanders could have been because you chose to give Deshaun Watson yet another year instead.
Sanders represented a new possibility. Watson represented everything that has already gone wrong. Somehow, the Browns chose the latter.
Have a take on this? Leave a comment below.