Let’s be real for a second. If you’re a Cleveland fan, looking at the cleveland browns quarterback depth chart usually feels like staring directly into a solar eclipse without those cardboard glasses. It hurts. It’s messy. And honestly, it’s rarely what we were promised three years ago when that massive trade went down.
As of January 2026, the situation in Berea isn't just a "quarterback competition." It’s a full-blown identity crisis. You've got a polarizing young star in Shedeur Sanders who basically took over the city by the end of 2025, a veteran contract in Deshaun Watson that is functionally a lead weight on the salary cap, and a coaching vacancy that makes everything feel like it's written in disappearing ink.
The Current State of the Cleveland Browns Quarterback Depth Chart
Right now, the depth chart is a weird mix of "what if" and "oh no." Here is how the room actually looks as we head into the 2026 offseason:
- QB1: Shedeur Sanders – The presumed leader. He started the final seven games of 2025.
- QB2: Dillon Gabriel – The 2025 third-rounder who struggled with size and explosiveness.
- The Wildcard: Deshaun Watson – Currently on the PUP list/Recovering. His contract makes him unmovable.
- The Odd Man Out: Bailey Zappe – Mostly a practice squad/emergency depth piece.
Basically, the Browns are stuck between two worlds. They want to see if Shedeur is "The One," but they are also staring at a draft board where the top options—like Dante Moore—just decided to stay in college.
Why Shedeur Sanders is Currently the Alpha
It’s kind of wild how fast things changed. Shedeur was a fifth-round pick in 2025. Nobody expected him to be the guy, especially with Dillon Gabriel being drafted higher (late third round). But football is funny. Gabriel got ten games and, frankly, the offense looked stagnant. He averaged about 5.1 yards per attempt. That’s not going to win you many games in the AFC North.
Then came Shedeur.
He didn't set the world on fire—throwing 7 touchdowns to 10 interceptions in seven starts—but he had juice. He threw for 1,400 yards and showed he could actually move the chains when the pocket collapsed. Browns GM Andrew Berry recently admitted Shedeur is a "work in progress," but with the Browns sitting at the No. 6 pick in the 2026 draft and the top QBs staying in school, Shedeur might just keep the job by default.
You’ve got a guy who sells tickets and shows flashes of brilliance. In Cleveland, that’s usually enough to get you a very long leash.
The $81 Million Problem: Deshaun Watson’s Role
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the $80,716,514 elephant. That is Watson’s cap hit for 2026. It is the largest single-season cap hit in the history of the NFL.
If the Browns cut him? They take a $131 million dead money hit. That's not just bad business; it's roster suicide. So, Watson is going to be on the cleveland browns quarterback depth chart whether people like it or not.
There’s some talk from insiders like Mary Kay Cabot that Watson could actually compete for the QB1 spot again in 2026. He spent December 2025 practicing after his Achilles injury. He didn’t play, but the team liked his "veteran presence." Is he actually better than Shedeur at this point? Debatable. He hasn't played a full, healthy season in years. But you don't pay a guy $46 million in cash just to hold a clipboard unless you absolutely have to.
The Dillon Gabriel Dilemma
Poor Dillon Gabriel. He’s sort of the forgotten man in all this. He’s under contract, and his rookie scale deal makes him cheap depth. However, many analysts think he’s trending toward being trade bait. If the Browns draft another mid-round quarterback this year—which they might—Gabriel is likely the one who gets shipped off for a 6th-round pick. He’s a "safe" backup, but the Browns seem to be looking for "dynamic."
What Most People Get Wrong About the 2026 Draft
There’s this narrative that the Browns will just "draft a savior" at No. 6.
It's probably not happening.
Dante Moore going back to Oregon really screwed the pooch for teams in the top ten. Unless Andrew Berry falls in love with Fernando Mendoza or takes a massive gamble on someone like Ty Simpson, the Browns are likely to use those first-round picks to fix the offensive line and the receiving corps. You can’t expect Shedeur or a hobbled Watson to succeed when the O-line is giving up 50+ sacks a year like they did in 2025.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Offseason
If you’re trying to track how this depth chart evolves, keep your eyes on these three specific triggers:
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- The Head Coach Hire: Whoever replaces Kevin Stefanski will dictate the scheme. If they hire a guy like Nate Scheelhaase, expect a system that favors Shedeur's playmaking. If they go with a defensive-minded coach, they might lean back on Watson's experience to "manage" games.
- The March Restructure: Watch the cap. If the Browns restructure Watson one last time to save $34 million, it means they are going all-in on veteran free agents to support whichever QB wins the job.
- The No. 24 Pick: Everyone talks about pick No. 6, but pick No. 24 (acquired from Jacksonville) is where the real move happens. If they don't take a QB there, Shedeur is your Week 1 starter.
The cleveland browns quarterback depth chart isn't just a list of names; it's a math problem that the front office is still trying to solve. For now, it’s Shedeur’s room to lose, Watson’s bank account to manage, and the fans' hearts to break.
Keep an eye on the official roster moves as we hit the scouting combine in February. That’s when the "prose" of the offseason usually turns into the "poetry" of the regular season—or, in Cleveland's case, maybe just another complicated chapter in the NFL's most expensive quarterback experiment.