Who Should I Start? Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders

Monday, May 19, 10:25 PM

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) has been throwing to receivers Jerry Jeudy and David Bell at the team's facility and has been out of his walking boot for several weeks, a league source told The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot. However, Watson is not part of the offseason QB competition among Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. The 29-year-old Watson had a second surgery on his Achilles back on Jan. 9 and is not expected to be ready to play at the start of the 2025 season this fall. In fact, he's widely expected to miss all of the 2025 campaign, with many believing that he's already played his last game for the Browns. Still, Watson has made "excellent progress" in his recovery from a torn right Achilles that he suffered last season. But given his injury and his off-field drama, Watson's NFL future remains very murky.

Friday, May 30, 11:11 PM

As things stand during organized team activities, The Athletic's Zac Jackson writes that Cleveland Browns rookie fifth-round quarterback Shedeur Sanders is last in line in the team's QB competition between Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel. Jackson thinks there's almost no scenario where Gabriel or Sanders win the starting job initially. Sanders got the fewest reps in an OTA practice on Wednesday, but he could make noise quickly as long as he's willing to learn and be coached. The 23-year-old's touch and accuracy has been on display early on. Going into his rookie season in the NFL, Sanders' goal is basically to stay in the team's plans and be deemed worthy of further development. It might be a long shot that we see either of Gabriel or Sanders on the field in 2025, and his ceiling as a dynasty asset might be as a backup QB in the NFL.