Daily News 19

Tag: Deshaun Watson

  • Browns May Have Ideal QB Trade Partner After Injury Scare

    Browns May Have Ideal QB Trade Partner After Injury Scare

    Browns May Have Ideal QB Trade Partner After Falcons Injury Scare

    Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders will not be the starter for Week 1. GettyCLEVELAND, OHIO – AUGUST 27: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns warms up prior to a preseason game against the New England Patriots at Huntington Bank Field on August 27, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) GettyKevin Stefanski’s quarterback problems in Atlanta could give the Cleveland Browns a familiar trade partner before the season gets rolling.

    Falcons Face Quarterback Uncertainty Ahead of Steelers Matchup

    The Falcons were already preparing to open without Michael Penix Jr. when Tua Tagovailoa suffered an oblique injury during Thursday’s practice. Cooper Rush took all the first-team reps, leaving Atlanta facing the possibility of another quarterback change ahead of Sunday’s matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

    Tagovailoa is considered day-to-day, so the Falcons do not yet know whether they have a temporary scare or a problem that requires outside help. Penix, meanwhile, has returned to full practices following knee surgery but is not ready for game action.

    “You can get cleared for 11-on-11 or you get cleared for a game, but then you have to be able to do your job,” Stefanski said Monday.

    If Atlanta decides to explore the trade market, Cleveland would be a logical place to call. Stefanski coached both Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel as rookies last season. He knows their strengths, their limitations and how they handle his offense — useful background when a team needs help quickly.

    Rush gives Atlanta an experienced fallback. But if the injuries linger, Stefanski’s old quarterback room could be worth a closer look for Atlanta.

    Shedeur Sanders Makes the Most Sense for Falcons

    Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders will not be the starter for Week 1.

    For an immediate need, Sanders is the Browns quarterback who best fits the discussion. Gabriel is on injured reserve with a back injury and must miss at least the first four games. Whatever trade value he might have later, he cannot solve Atlanta’s early-season availability problem.

    Deshaun Watson has Cleveland’s starting job. Rookie Taylen Green has yet to take a regular-season snap and did not play for Stefanski. Sanders offers both familiarity and some experience after making seven starts under the former Browns coach last season.

    Sanders went 3-4 in those starts, finishing his rookie season with 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. There has already been fresh trade speculation around Sanders, although most of it is unfounded.

    The harder question is whether Cleveland would entertain an offer. Sanders spent training camp competing for the starting job and now provides the Browns with their most reliable available alternative to Watson. Trading him would leave Green as the only healthy quarterback behind the Watson — who comes with significant durability concerns — unless Cleveland added someone else.

    Browns Open With Deshaun Watson Under Pressure

    Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns warms up prior to a preseason game against the New England Patriots at Huntington Bank Field.

    Cleveland’s first unofficial depth chart lists Watson first, Sanders second and Green third heading into Sunday’s opener at Jacksonville. Coach Todd Monken also indicated Sanders will be active against the Jaguars.

    “I do,” Monken said when asked Wednesday.

    That clarification followed a discussion of a possible package for Green, whose running ability could add another wrinkle in specific packages. However, Sanders remains the more experienced choice if Cleveland needs someone to take over the full offense.

    Watson has appeared in just 19 games for the Browns since arriving in 2022 and missed all of last season following two Achilles surgeries. Monken has entrusted him with the offense, but Watson still must show he can stay on the field and make that decision pay off.

    The Browns begin with road games against Jacksonville and Tampa Bay before their home opener against Carolina. A productive start from Watson would give Cleveland more room to consider its options. An injury or early struggles would make Sanders considerably harder to spare.

  • Former Dallas Cowboys Player Emerges as Candidate to Replace Shedeur Sanders

    Former Dallas Cowboys Player Emerges as Candidate to Replace Shedeur Sanders

    The Cleveland Browns face a complicated quarterback situation entering the season. The team currently has four quarterbacks under contract, but only three are on the active roster after Dillon Gabriel was placed on injured reserve with a back injury that is expected to sideline him for at least the first month.

    That situation raises the possibility that Cleveland could add a fifth quarterback by claiming Joe Milton III, whom the Dallas Cowboys released on Monday, August 31.

    Jared Mueller of Dawgs By Nature, part of SB Nation, raised the possibility of the Browns pursuing Milton after Dallas made the roster move.

    “Just like Cleveland, the Dallas Cowboys continued their roster juggling on Monday, waiving QB Joe Milton, who many believed would be the team’s primary backup to QB Dak Prescott,” Mueller wrote.

    Cleveland currently holds the sixth position in the NFL waiver order, which could give the Browns an opportunity to claim Milton before another team does.

    “Given Milton’s athletic ability and big arm, he fits HC Todd Monken’s traits for a quarterback,” Mueller continued. “While Cleveland could choose to claim Milton and waive a player at another position, that seems unlikely. Instead, the addition of Milton would likely lead to the departure of either Shedeur Sanders or the rookie Taylen Green. With Milton’s experience and Green entering his first season, Sanders seems like the odd man out if the Browns were to claim Milton.”

    Browns Could Explore a Shedeur Sanders Trade

    If Cleveland claims Milton and decides to move on from Sanders, the Browns would likely explore a trade rather than expose the quarterback to waivers.

    Sanders was selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft and finished last season as Cleveland’s starter for the final seven games of his rookie campaign. He also spent the offseason competing with Deshaun Watson for the starting quarterback job, a competition Watson ultimately won in late August.

    Sanders is nevertheless expected to open the season as Watson’s backup. He would have a significant opportunity to reclaim the starting role if Watson fails to meet expectations, a possibility that does not appear far-fetched.

    The Browns’ decision to retain four quarterbacks during the initial roster cutdown to 53 players had already prompted questions about whether one of them could become a trade asset.

    Gabriel was viewed as the most likely quarterback to leave, and that possibility remains. However, his back injury and placement on injured reserve make an immediate trade more difficult.

    Depending on how the first four games unfold, Gabriel could return healthy and compete for a backup role behind a promoted Sanders and ahead of a demoted Watson.

    If Watson remains the starter and Sanders continues as his primary backup, Gabriel could become an appealing trade option after the strong performance he delivered in the preseason finale against the New England Patriots.

    Source: www.marca.com

  • Shedeur Sanders’ Browns Problem Could Worsen If Deshaun Watson Fails

    Shedeur Sanders’ Browns Problem Could Worsen If Deshaun Watson Fails

    Shedeur Sanders could already face a difficult path to playing time with the Cleveland Browns, and that challenge may become even more complicated if Deshaun Watson fails to perform.

    Cleveland’s decision to continue investing in Watson has drawn criticism, especially because Sanders’ development could become tied to the veteran quarterback’s future. ESPN analyst Jason Fitz questioned the entire structure of the Browns’ quarterback room.

    “What a mess. What an absolute mess,” Fitz said.

    Shedeur Sanders caught in Cleveland’s quarterback experiment

    Watson’s contract and status have made Cleveland’s quarterback situation unusually complex. Every decision involving the veteran carries consequences for the players waiting behind him, including Sanders.

    Fitz said the Browns have created a problem that extends beyond the basic question of who should start.

    “You have a quarterback situation where you’re trying to figure out what Deshaun Watson is, you’re trying to figure out what Shedeur Sanders is,” Fitz said.

    That uncertainty could limit Sanders’ development if Cleveland spends too much time trying to make the Watson experiment work before fully evaluating its younger quarterback.

    Sanders entered the NFL needing consistent opportunities to develop, but those chances could become more difficult to find if the Browns remain committed to Watson regardless of his performance.

    Browns could face pressure if Deshaun Watson struggles

    The biggest complication could arise if Watson fails to play well. Cleveland would then face pressure to make a change, but any decision involving Sanders would come amid intense expectations and scrutiny rather than as part of a carefully planned development process.

    Fitz believes the Browns have made their quarterback situation unnecessarily difficult.

    “The Browns have burdened themselves with this Deshaun Watson experiment,” he said.

    That burden could eventually affect Sanders as well. If Watson performs, Sanders may spend significant time waiting for an opportunity. If Watson struggles, calls for a change could place the rookie in a difficult situation before Cleveland has determined whether he is genuinely ready.

    Neither outcome gives Sanders the straightforward development path a young quarterback typically needs. The Browns still have time to establish a clear hierarchy, but their continued uncertainty surrounding Watson risks making Sanders’ first NFL season far more complicated than necessary.

    If the veteran ultimately fails to justify Cleveland’s faith, the pressure surrounding Sanders could quickly become even greater.

  • Browns Fans Want Dillon Gabriel to Stay, but Todd Monken Appears to Have Other Plans

    Browns Fans Want Dillon Gabriel to Stay, but Todd Monken Appears to Have Other Plans

    The Cleveland Browns may have settled their starting quarterback decision, but Dillon Gabriel gave the team another reason to reconsider how it views the rest of its quarterback room.

    With Deshaun Watson already named the starter, Gabriel delivered Cleveland’s most impressive quarterback performance of the preseason during Thursday’s 37-13 win over the New England Patriots.

    Dillon Gabriel leads five straight scoring drives

    Gabriel completed 12 of 15 passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. He led five consecutive scoring drives without throwing an interception, prompting Kirk Herbstreit to make his position clear.

    “There’s no way, see, this was not a one-night Dillon Gabriel thing for me,” Herbstreit said during Amazon Prime’s broadcast. “I’ve seen this kid do exactly what he did tonight almost every start he made in college, whether it was at UCF, Oklahoma or Oregon.”

    He added: “I don’t know how you let him go, personally. There is no way I would let him leave.”

    More than preseason statistics

    Gabriel’s performance stood out because of how effectively Cleveland’s offense operated with him in control. The Browns scored on all five of their first-half possessions, producing three touchdowns and two field goals.

    Gabriel repeatedly put the offense in favorable situations, including a 52-yard completion to Ben Patterson after rolling left out of the pocket. He also connected with Luke Floriea for two touchdowns and found Ahmani Marshall for another score on third-and-goal.

    “What a great half, happy for him,” Monken said. “Guys played well around him. Certainly took advantage of the opportunity.”

    That opportunity came at a significant moment. Watson has already been named Cleveland’s starter, but the decision has drawn scrutiny after Browns fans booed him during the preseason.

    Shedeur Sanders has also received significant public support, making the Browns’ quarterback room one of the most closely watched in the NFL.

    Gabriel’s performance reflects his college career

    The strongest part of Herbstreit’s argument was that Thursday’s performance did not change his opinion of Gabriel. Instead, it reinforced it.

    The broadcaster pointed to what Gabriel showed during his college career at three different programs, arguing that the poise and efficiency displayed against New England were consistent with the quarterback he had already seen.

    Former NFL defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko offered an even stronger assessment.

    “The best quarterback play of the Browns preseason we saw tonight,” Fehoko wrote. “Dillon Gabriel is the guy who got screwed in this QB competition.”

    Whether Monken is interested in reopening the Week 1 decision remains unclear. Gabriel did, however, make one part of the discussion harder to ignore.

    If Cleveland does not view him as the starter right now, the Browns still must determine how highly they value keeping him on the roster.