The Cleveland Browns invested two draft picks in quarterbacks this offseason, but neither Shedeur Sanders nor Dillon Gabriel has done anything to convince the organization they should be the franchise's long-term starter. That does not mean rushing Deshaun Watson back onto the field after multiple Achilles injuries is the right course of action for head coach Kevin Stefanski and his staff.
The Browns opened their highly-paid signal caller's 21-day window to return from the PUP list on Wednesday. That opens up the possibility that Watson could return to action before the end of the regular season. Cleveland is not required to put Watson on the active roster. Opening the window just gives them the option to do so.
The Browns don’t have a long-term answer at quarterback
The cold reality for the Browns is that their quarterback of the future almost certainly is not on their active roster. Gabriel has some organizational equity as a third-round pick in his rookie season, but he was a flop during his six-game tenure as a starter. He only managed to pilot the team to a single victory while completing under 60% percent of his passes during an entirely unremarkable stretch as the team's starting quarterback. The team might want to keep him around as a backup, but he's not starter material.
Sanders was a fifth-round pick who came into the NFL with more fanfare. He's only had two starts on the year with a 1-1 record, but his completion percentage is even worse than Gabriel's. Some might say he deserves more time to showcase his skills, but nothing he's done to date should instill any confidence that he deserves to be face of the offense moving forward.
Deshaun Watson hasn’t shown he can still be the Browns’ answer
The ineptitude of those rookie quarterbacks might lead some to think that giving Watson some regular season work down the stretch is a reasonable path forward for the Browns. That ignores the reality that Watson struggled mightily in Cleveland before he suffered two serious injuries. There's no guarantee that he'll have anything close to his previous mobility as he tries to rebuild strength in his Achilles.
That's why Cleveland should stick with their rookie quarterback of choice down the stretch. Sanders, in particular, might have a bit more upside than he's shown so far. Building up potential value in he or Gabriel could help the organization recoup some measure of trade equity in the offseason. The team may be forced to part with one of them via a release, but a trade with any return would be preferable.
Watson will remain on the roster due to the massive salary he's still owed. The Browns are only on the hook for serious guaranteed money for one more year. Even so, releasing him in the offseason is not a practical salary cap move for the team.
Cleveland’s real quarterback plan starts with the 2026 NFL Draft
It does make some sense for the Browns to get Watson back onto the practice field to gather more information about his status heading into 2026. The truth is that Cleveland is primed and ready to find the quarterback of their future in next year's draft. That opportunity has already passed Watson, Sanders and Gabriel by. Nothing about the veteran's playing time in 2025 is going to alter the future of the Browns.