Browns to name Deshaun Watson starting QB for Week 1 of 2026 NFL season

The Cleveland Browns quarterback competition has a winner and his name is Deshaun Watson.

Watson will start Week 1 for the Browns this season, according to multiple reports. NFL insider Jordan Schultz was first to report the news.

Four competitors entered the race – Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green. Watson and Sanders were always the leaders in the clubhouse, even if head coach Todd Monken declared it to be an open battle all summer long.

Monken has not yet officially announced Watson as the starter, though he has a press conference planned for Aug. 24.

It marked the second consecutive season with a training camp battle for the “Dawg Pound,” which was won by Joe Flacco in 2025.

Now Watson will get that honor in 2026 and can prepare accordingly for the Browns’ Week 1 opener in Jacksonville against the Jaguars on Sept. 13.

Both Watson and Sanders were given the opportunity to start through the first two weeks of the preseason. Each were given the first half to audition, while the other had a chance to play the third quarter. The decision to split game reps came as the duo also alternated practice reps with the first team in practice.

Monken maintained throughout camp that he wasn’t going into the battle with any preconceived notions, explaining to USA TODAY Sports’ Jarrett Bell that the competition was close ahead of the Browns’ preseason opener.

“It’s closed,” Monken told USA TODAY Sports before a camp practice. “People somehow think that, like, I have some hidden agenda, or like there’s some preconceived notion.

“Is that what they think I would do? I would just split the reps if I didn’t think it was a competition? That would be really silly. If I thought one was the starter, I’d give him the ‘one’ reps.”

After evaluating everything, Monken decided on who will be his top “dawg.”

The rookie head coach just has to hope that the wins will follow.

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Shedeur Sanders’ journey from college football to Browns quarterback

Coached by his father Deion Sanders at Colorado, Shedeur Sanders made his NFL debut in 2025 and now enters year two as the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback. Scroll to see his journey from college to the pros.

Shedeur Sanders #12 of the Cleveland Browns looks on prior to the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Dec. 14, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.

(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)