The Cleveland Browns wrapped up their voluntary minicamp last week without making a single official statement about their quarterback depth chart. But behind the scenes, a clear frontrunner has quietly taken shape.
Deshaun Watson emerged from those three days of practice as the favorite to be Cleveland’s starting quarterback when the regular season kicks off in the fall. That edge, reported by Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, is not just perception — it is backed by on-field performance that turned heads inside the facility.
Watson Steps Up When It Matters
During minicamp, both Watson and second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders received first-team reps. But Watson accumulated more time with the starting unit, and the quality of his work was hard to ignore. He showed sharper decision-making before and after the snap, moved through his progressions with efficiency, and demonstrated a comfort level with the new offensive system that caught the coaching staff’s attention.
That offensive system belongs to first-year head coach Todd Monken, who is installing a new scheme in Cleveland. Watson, who has spent years adapting to different playbooks throughout his NFL career, has taken to Monken’s concepts quickly — a factor that carries significant weight as the team builds its identity around a fresh start.
Experience Over Excitement
Watson’s path back to this moment has not been easy. He missed the entire 2025 season after tearing his Achilles — a brutal injury that would have derailed the careers of many quarterbacks. Coming back from that setback, let alone competing for a starting job, is a testament to both his resilience and his preparation.
The Browns‘ roster beyond the quarterback position is trending young, and the front office has placed a premium on Watson’s ability to manage that youth — getting skill players aligned, reading defenses before the ball is snapped, and keeping a developing offense from unraveling under pressure. That leadership value is not something a box score can always capture, but it is the kind of quality that veteran quarterbacks bring that rookies and second-year players are still working to develop.
Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and rookie Taylen Green round out a quarterback room full of potential. But at this stage of the offseason, potential alone is not enough to unseat a proven starter with a point to prove.
Sanders Still Has Time, But the Window Is Narrow
The quarterback competition is far from over. Monken has signaled that he hopes to name a starter — or at least identify one — by the conclusion of mandatory minicamp, scheduled for June 9 through 11. That gives Sanders roughly six weeks to change the conversation.
The challenge for Sanders is steep. Watson‘s experience, his grasp of the new offense, and his strong minicamp showing have stacked the deck in his favor. For Sanders to reclaim the top spot on the depth chart, an exceptional performance will not just be helpful — it will be necessary.
Whether Watson can stay healthy and sustain that level of play through a full training camp remains the central question. His injury history is impossible to ignore, and no team commits to a starting quarterback without weighing that risk carefully. But for now, the Browns appear to have their answer — at least provisionally.
The real test begins when the pads go on.
Source: NBC Sports
