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The Cleveland Browns entered last season with one of the busiest quarterback rooms in the NFL.
Sheduer Sanders took over starting quarterback duties in Week 12 of last season, and after two more starts, he was named the starter for the remainder of the season. Dillon Gabriel moved to the backup role while Deshaun Watson remained on the physically unable to perform list even after the team opened its 21-day practice window in December. Watson is still recovering from his latest Achilles injury.
Speaking at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday, Brown general manager Andrew Berry left the door open for Watson to compete with Sanders for the starting job next season.
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Cleveland Browns Executive Vice President, Football Operations and General Manager Andrew Berry looks on during OTA offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 4, 2025 in Berea, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
Berry cautioned that there is no rush to decide who will be the QB1 when next season begins.
“We don’t have to make that decision anytime soon,” he said. “I think any player we have in that room we would expect to compete for a spot. Those two would be no different.”
While Gabriel could be among the group competing for the starting job, Berry has previously indicated that the team could look to add an experienced quarterback to the roster at some point this offseason.
Sanders took snaps with the designated second team for most of the Browns’ minicamp and training camp last year. He went 3-4 as a starter in 2025. Berry is optimistic and Sanders can continue to improve.
“I think the biggest thing we want to see from Shedeur is continued growth,” Berry said. “I think he grew a lot from start 1 to start 7. I think certainly playing more efficiently, not putting the ball in danger as much would be important and at the same time maintaining the ability to produce outside of structure and generate explosive plays.”
Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on February 24, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kirby Lee/Image Images)
The Browns fired Kevin Stefanski in January and brought in Todd Monken, and Berry said he wants Sanders to acclimate to the new system.
“You won’t see all of that in the next few months because we’re not on the field. So the most important thing he can do is learn the new offense, join the coaching staff once our offseason program starts, continue to physically work on his body and then take leaps and bounds when we’re actually on the field.”
Watson has appeared in just 19 games in the three years since he signed an unprecedented $230 million fully guaranteed contract with the Browns. Watson is reportedly owed $46 million next season and has the league’s highest cap hit in 2026.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson in action during the NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on October 13, 2024, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola, File)
Berry confirmed that Watson continues to work on the rehabilitation process. “Deshaun has been working very hard, he’s been working hard,” he said. “And like I said, we’re excited to get to mid-April with all of our players on the entire roster.”
The Browns went 5-12 last season.
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