Browns QB decision might be about the future after all, just not in the way many thought

Cleveland Browns quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson take part in a drill on the first day of minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus of the Cleveland Browns in Berea, Ohio on June 9, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co The Cleveland Browns might be inching closer to a decision in

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What is the story about?

The Cleveland Browns might be inching closer to a decision in their quarterback competition, despite both Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders struggling throughout OTAs and training camp

. It got to the point that some started to wonder if Dillon Gabriel would enter the starter conversation.

Saturday’s practice process, where HC Todd Monken said one thing before practice about Sanders taking first-team reps and then gave all of them to Watson, while our reporting is such that the change happened before Monken’s

statements to us in the media.

Many believed that the Browns future would lead Sanders to getting the job, but GM Andrew Berry and Monken both said that winning and production in 2026 would decide who was the starting quarterback. Throughout training camp, Monken has also made it clear that cadence and the presnap process are vital for the starting quarterback.

Given that Berry and Monken (despite just being hired) could be on the hot seat if the 2026 season goes poorly, it makes sense that the decision-makers want to compete this season rather than focus solely on the future. If the future was the only variable, Sanders would have the starting position almost no matter what happened in training camp.

It is, however, possible that the future is a part of why Watson seems to have taken control of the QB competition. Cleveland’s offense is full of young players:

RB Quinshon Judkins
TE Harold Fannin Jr.
LT Spencer Fano
WR KC Concepcion
WR Denzel Boston
WR Isaiah Bond

Helping that core of players develop, along with being more competitive in 2026, could be the reason the veteran Watson, who has been better but not great at presnap activities, is the likely choice. For the Browns young guys to continue to develop, getting the process right is key. If the quarterback is unable to get the plays in, make the right audibles, slide the protections, and get the play off in time, that young group could learn bad habits, struggle to focus on their own details, and see their development set back.

Should Sanders be the starting quarterback in Cleveland? In a vacuum, probably. He’s young, cheap, and has some upside. If Sanders was the only focus, starting him at QB would make sense. If Sanders’ struggles (Watson has his own after the snap) limit the growth of those six players listed above, the choice also becomes clear in the other direction.

It seems like what Monken has prioritized as vital (presnap process) is not only leading to Watson’s role as the Browns starter but also could be a way to focus on the future with the other key positions on offense. While the quarterback position is important, Cleveland’s young core developing on offense is equally or more important in the 2026 season.

Maybe Berry and Monken are focused on the now (winning) and not yet (developing for the future), which could soon lead to Watson being announced as the Browns starting quarterback in 2026.

How do you think the other young guys on offense could/should impact the Browns QB competition? Do you think their development is one of the variables that the team is weighing with the QB decision?