The Cleveland Browns have four quarterbacks fighting to rise up the depth chart, which has created a wide-open quarterback competition for new head coach Todd Monken ahead of the 2026 season.
Monken has announced that Deshaun Watson will start Cleveland's first preseason game, with Shedeur Sanders getting the start in the second game and the 1-2 punch of Dillon Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green waiting in the wings.
As the quarterback race continues to churn on, there exist four separate parallel universes in which every member of the current Browns depth chart gets the start in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
1 Reason every Cleveland Browns quarterback should start in Week 1
- Deshaun Watson: Experience
- Shedeur Sanders: Week 1 Impact
- Dillon Gabriel: Highest Floor
- Taylen Green: Highest Ceiling
Deshaun Watson: Experience
Watson hasn't even been an above-average quarterback since the 2020 season, and the time in between then and now has been filled with concerning legal allegations, severe injuries, and poor play when he has been on the field. His contract is the only reason he is still a member of the Browns. Even with all of that, Watson's veteran savvy might appeal to a new head coach like Monken.
An offensive coach like Monken might find it better to establish his offense with a veteran who has done this before in Watson instead of a young player who doesn't have as much command of the offense. Watson's play will likely be fairly uninspiring, but the players he is competing against aren't exactly looking like the second coming of Aaron Rodgers in training camp.
Shedeur Sanders: Week 1 Impact
While Sanders had some very low moments last season, he did manage to show just enough to get some Browns fans excited about what he could do with more competence around him. Once hyped as a first-round lock, Sanders showcased a willingness to rip the ball downfield, though some suspect his pocket presence was exacerbated by a poor offensive line.
Now that the Browns have completely remade their starting offensive line and spent two top-50 picks on wide receivers in KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, Sanders could hit the ground running. Sanders is developing, but his ability to distribute the ball accurately and on time could be what turns this unit around sooner than it would be if led by Watson, Gabriel, or Green.
Dillon Gabriel: Highest Floor
Gabriel is in a tough spot, as he was drafted two rounds before Sanders, yet has seemingly conceded his spot on the depth chart. If there is any chance the prolific college passer has of getting back on the field in Cleveland, he will need to lean on his turnover avoidance and efficient play under center in the name of risk management and minimizing mistakes.
Gabriel's overly conservative style may clash with a coach in Monken who has built his reputation on an aggressive, attacking vertical passing game, but Watson's regression and Sanders' propensity for turning it over might at least get some members of the offensive coaching staff to take a longer look at the former Oregon star.
Taylen Green: Highest Ceiling
Green is one of the most athletic quarterbacks the NFL has ever seen, though he fell to the sixth round due to major concerns about his poor decision-making and short-range accuracy for a two-win Arkansas team. The Browns picked him as a developmental player, but why not turn him loose in a year when they are not expected to win many games?
Green can launch the football more than half the length of the field, and his 4.36 40-yard dash would make him one of the fastest wide receivers on the team. Keep in mind that Green is 6-6 and around 230 pounds. Why not give him free rein?
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