Who Should I Start? Andy Dalton or Deshaun Watson

Thursday, August 21, 6:05 PM

Carolina Panthers backup quarterback Andy Dalton (elbow) is being held out of the team's preseason finale on Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to Panthers beat writer Darin Gantt. Starter Bryce Young will also be held out, leaving QB duties on Thursday to Jack Plummer and Bryce Perkins, who was just signed on Monday. The 37-year-old Dalton suffered a muscle strain in his right elbow in the team's second preseason tilt last Saturday against the Houston Texans. While the injury isn't considered overly serious, Dalton is strictly focused on being available for the club's Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday, Sept. 7, against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Red Rifle is purely a backup at this point in his career. In six games (five starts) played last year in Carolina when Young was benched, he threw for 989 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions.

Monday, September 29, 12:31 PM

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) is not expected to have his practice window opened this week, even though he's eligible after four weeks on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Watson tore his Achilles in Week 7 of last year and started the 2025 season on the PUP list as a result. The 30-year-old veteran is not anywhere near a return and probably should be considered a long shot to play at all this year. In fact, most people believe Watson has already played his last snap with the Browns. For now, the Browns will roll forward with veteran Joe Flacco as their starter under center, although there are already questions about how much longer the team will keep him as their starter, given how bad he's looked through four weeks. It could only be a matter of time before we see rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.