All articles tagged with #deshaun watson
Browns coach Todd Monken criticized the offense after 7-on-7 drills produced interceptions during OTAs, highlighting turnover risk in the quarterback competition. Sanders and Gabriel split first-team reps, with Sanders showing progress in reads while Gabriel struggled, and Watson delivering a more efficient 13-of-21 with a TD. The sessions underscore an unsettled QB race early in May practice.
Day 2 of Browns OTAs featured four quarterbacks—Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green—rotating through two-spot drills to maximize reps and development, with no clear frontrunner yet. Watson showed his athleticism, Sanders has progressed in decision-making, and Gabriel/Green split reps to keep all options in play. A highlight was Watson-to-Denzel Boston for a deep TD in 7-on-7, while veterans returning from injury (Dawand Jones, Elgton Jenkins) saw action and Judkins contributed on the backfield. The defense created turnovers in 7-on-7, underscoring a competitive spring session ahead of minicamp.
Cleveland Browns coach Todd Monken says the Deshaun Watson–Shedeur Sanders quarterback competition is still unresolved after the team's second voluntary OTAs, with both quarterbacks rotating with the first team and the plan to name a starter by the Sept. 13 opener vs. Jacksonville. Watson, who missed last season with Achilles injuries, has shown athleticism and leadership while Sanders has progressed significantly; Monken cautioned against interceptions and missed passes in drills and reiterated that the best player will play as the competition continues.
Browns coach Todd Monken criticized QB play at OTAs, saying interceptions in 7-on-7 drills with no pass rush were 'embarrassing,' and he didn’t name players. Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are competing for the starting job, with Dillion Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green taking backup reps, and the team hopes to name a starter by the end of spring.
Browns coach Todd Monken praised Shedeur Sanders’ development, highlighting progressions, faster ball release, and better understanding of concepts as Sanders competes with Deshaun Watson for the starting QB job; Sanders spent the offseason at the team facility, OTA reps had him with the first team alongside Watson, and Monken aims to name a starter before training camp, ideally for Week 1 against Jacksonville.
In the Browns’ OTA kickoff, Deshaun Watson and rookie Shedeur Sanders split reps in alternating periods as head coach Todd Monken said nothing has changed in the QB competition—players will be rotated to play the best one, with the goal of naming a No. 1 by the end of spring, though that outcome isn’t guaranteed.
Albert Breer explains why the Browns are leaning toward starting Deshaun Watson in Week 1 after a $230 million investment, provides Raiders ownership updates, weighs NFL expansion into Japan and Italy, notes Nick Bosa’s looming 2027 cap hit, and touches on the Vikings GM search and other scheduling topics.
Cleveland explored Malik Willis before free agency, but he signed with Miami rather than the Browns. Meanwhile, Deshaun Watson’s fully guaranteed $230M contract continues to shape Cleveland’s books and future, with health concerns and a new head coach (Todd Monken) influencing his 2026 outlook as he competes with Shedeur Sanders; the situation remains uncertain given Watson’s injury history and the team’s ongoing QB evaluation.
Arch Manning remains the frontrunner in early 2027 mock drafts, but evaluators see him as still raw with a Herbert-like ceiling if he continues to improve. The piece also surveys the Titans’ long-running front-office rebuild, Brendan Sorsby’s gambling case and potential NFL entry path, De’Zhaun Stribling’s late-round rise to the 49ers, and Sonny Styles’ high-level fit in Washington, while noting a rising trend in guaranteed fifth-year options and a Browns-long-term look at Deshaun Watson; it also previews a loaded 2027 class led by Jeremiah Smith and Colin Simmons and touches on other offseason storylines.
The Cleveland Browns’ quarterback race centers on Deshaun Watson holding an early edge over Shedeur Sanders after minicamp, with coach Todd Monken continuing a two-spotting rotation and helmet-cam practices to give reps. The team drafted Taylen Green in 2026 and plans to keep Dillon Gabriel, while owner Jimmy Haslam signals openness to a fresh start. Sanders must impress in training camp to catch Watson, whose veteran experience and past elite production contrast with a more injury-plagued tenure in Cleveland.
Deshaun Watson left Browns minicamp as the favorite to start Week 1, seeing more reps with the first team than Shedeur Sanders as Cleveland installs a new Todd Monken offense; Watson’s extensive NFL experience gives him the edge, though Sanders could push for the job if he dazzles before training camp.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam says Deshaun Watson will get a fresh start under new coach Todd Monken, with Watson’s job potentially up for grabs in 2026 after missing the 2025 season with injuries; in-house contenders Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel remain, and outside moves could come into play as Cleveland maps its QB plan.
Cleveland GM Andrew Berry has used contract restructurings and dummy years to create current salary-cap space, but the Browns face heavy dead-cap charges in 2026 from departed players such as Bitonio, Conklin, Njoku, Teller, and the voided Watson years, with post-June 1 designations spreading some charges into 2026–27 and looming further hits through 2027–28; the strategy prioritizes a younger roster and draft leverage, at the cost of compensatory picks and long-term financial exposure.
The Browns are restructuring Deshaun Watson's contract again to trim the 2026 cap by about $35,760,000, converting his $46,000,000 base salary into a signing bonus to lower his cap hit to $80,716,514, marking the fourth restructuring of Watson's deal.
The Browns are restructuring quarterback Deshaun Watson’s contract to create about $35.76 million in cap space for the 2026 league year, lowering his 2026 cap hit from $80.72 million. This is the last year of his fully guaranteed five-year deal, and Watson, coming off injuries, is expected to compete for Cleveland’s starting quarterback role in 2026, with the team continuing to pay for the deal beyond this season.