The Cleveland Browns appear no closer to solidifying the quarterback position. The team will hold a quarterback competition featuring Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and potentially others.
Videos by FanBuzz
General Manager Andrew Berry addressed the situation on Tuesday while meeting with reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine. He explained that this is a competition and also indicated that a veteran quarterback could join the mix.
"We don't have to make that decision anytime soon," Berry said while specifically referring to Watson and Sanders. "I think any player that we have in that room we would expect to compete to earn a role. Those two would be no different."
Sanders started last season as the fourth-string quarterback, but he moved up the depth chart as the season progressed. The Browns traded Joe Flacco to the Bengals and then benched Dillon Gabriel after six starts.
Sanders started seven games as a rookie. He went 3-4 as a starter while throwing for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He was named to the Pro Bowl as an alternate.
New head coach Todd Monken did not commit to a specific starting quarterback during his introductory press conference. He said on Feb. 3 that "That's to be determined."
Watson, a three-time Pro Bowler with the Texans, has only started 19 games for the Browns over three seasons (2022-2024). He missed all of last season while rehabbing an Achilles injury that he originally suffered in 2024.
The Browns owe Watson $46 million in base salary next season as part of a fully-guaranteed $230 million contract they gave him after trading three first-round picks to the Texans. He will count $80.716 million against the salary cap.
"We believe in competition at every spot. That's no different than quarterback," Berry said.
"Deshaun's been working really hard. He's been working his tail off and like I said, we're excited to go into April with all of our players across the roster because competition is something that we really believe in."
