Browns predicted to bench Deshaun Watson for Shedeur Sanders much later than anticipated originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Coming into the 2026 NFL season, the Cleveland Browns were holding a quarterback competition. Deshaun Watson ended up winning it despite Shedeur Sanders making a strong push near the end of the preseason and training camp.
Then, following a rough game in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, there was some belief that Sanders could take over for Watson sooner rather than later. However, after five weeks, Watson is still the starter, and might not give it up anytime soon.
So, when could Sanders step into the starting role? Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon is predicting that the Browns will wait much longer than anticipated to hand the keys over to Sanders, with a benching of Watson predicted to come in Week 14.
Browns predicted not to bench Deshaun Watson until Week 14
"The Bench Date: Week 14 against the Falcons, simply because Cleveland will likely have slid out of contention by then," Gagnon predicts.
With Watson playing a solid quarterback through the first five weeks, the potential for a change at the position might not come until much later in the year.
Gagnon is predicting this change will occur in Week 14, when the Browns face the Atlanta Falcons. That matchup would come after the Browns' bye week, and likely with Cleveland out of the playoff hunt.
While they're 3-2 heading into Week 6 and could very well be in the hunt late this season, making a QB change to see what they have in Sanders makes a lot of sense.
The Falcons game is a sensible time for the Browns to bench Watson for Sanders, if Watson's play doesn't significantly regress before then.
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Sanders would then have a final five-game runway to close out the year, facing the Falcons, New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, and the Cincinnati Bengals.
Those are all matchups where Sanders would have a realistic chance to showcase his talents. None of those defenses are especially terrifying for offenses.
While the QB of the future for the Browns isn't likely on the roster right now, Sanders could at the very least prove to be a bridge quarterback next season for a rookie QB, like how the Las Vegas Raiders are slow-playing Fernando Mendoza this season.
This prediction from Gagnon, with the Browns not benching Watson until Week 14, makes a lot of sense. It'd give Watson plenty of time to prove his worth, while also allowing Sanders to get some quality run at the end of the year.
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