In Week 1 of the preseason, the Cleveland Browns played their starters, and both quarterbacks who are competing for the starting job. With Cleveland’s quarterback battle already being one of the most discussed topics of the NFL world, Saturday’s action provided everyone enough fuel to go berserk with the discourse.
ESPN analyst Mina Kimes joined the conversation during a Monday episode of NFL Live, and she jumped to a conclusion that many people have made about the Browns. Kimes argued that the Browns aren’t going to get average quarterback play from Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders this season. She went on to praise Cleveland’s young core, but ultimately declared that the team is a quarterback away.
"I felt like with Deshaun Watson, the operation looked cleaner — not willing to push the ball down the field. With Shedeur, he was willing to push the ball down the field early on — the operation was flawed," Kimes said. "And the net result is I don’t really think you’re gonna get top end, average quarterback play from either over the course of the season. But I will say this, these young Browns skill players are fun. [The Browns] are ahead of schedule in the rebuild of everything around the quarterback. ... This has the opportunity to be a really talented young core. They really are a quarterback away."
For starters, Browns fans are tired of hearing that the team is a quarterback away; that’s pretty much been the messaging surrounding Cleveland for the last two decades.
Beyond that, Kimes giving up on the possibility of the Browns getting at least average quarterback play is just an unreasonable jump to make after one week of preseason football.
The NFL world is prematurely counting out the Browns
If one wants to argue that Watson’s preseason outing was just more of the same underwhelming QB he’s been since arriving in Cleveland, there’s merit to do so. In theory, he could improve, but it’s not unreasonable to think that he won’t, considering all he’s been through and the adequate sample size.
As far as Sanders, though, to declare that he’s incapable of getting to average quarterback play in 2026, after one quarter of preseason football, is just a bad-faith analysis. That’s especially the case since Kimes’ biggest gripe with Sanders was his handling of the operation. A reasonable expectation is that a second-year quarterback, who hasn’t even made it to the regular season yet, will continue to clean up his operation.
Additionally, if the rest of the Browns’ roster is as good as everyone raves it is, whoever is starting at quarterback should be elevated. Of course, there’s still plenty in the QB’s hands, like making the right reads and executing, but quarterback is a dependent position. In other words, if everyone around them is doing good, it’s hard for them to not look average, at the least.
Ultimately, most takes on the Browns’ quarterbacks are influenced by preconceived notions, and delivered as if growth and development aren't a thing. The reality is no one really knows what will happen, no matter how confidently they say they do.
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