ESPN’s Dan Graziano just dropped a bombshell prediction for the Cleveland Browns’ 2026 season, calling for a straight-up disappointing, near last-place finish for the team. Forget the big quarterback battle everyone’s watching, because according to Graziano, neither Deshaun Watson nor Shedeur Sanders will even be in the mix to be the Browns’ starting QB in 2027. That’s a brutal reality check before the season even truly begins.
The QB Battle That Won’t Matter
Right now, the Browns are heading into the 2026 season without a clear starter under center. Deshaun Watson probably has the lead, but Shedeur Sanders is right there, fighting for that starting job, just one step behind the veteran. There are a ton of eyes on this quarterback competition, and who wins it seemed like it would be a huge deal. But Graziano’s take is ice cold: he sees Watson opening the season as the starter, the team losing a ton of games, and Sanders eventually taking over at some point. The kicker? He says the Browns will finish with one of the worst records in the entire league, and *neither* of these guys will be the starter in 2027. Talk about a gut punch for Cleveland fans who are hoping for a real answer at QB.
Why Cleveland Is Staring Down The Barrel
It’s clear why Graziano is predicting such a tough season. Honestly, neither Watson nor Sanders has really done enough to inspire a lot of confidence in them. And it gets worse for Cleveland: their defense is likely to be a step back now that Myles Garrett is gone, which means their margin for error is razor thin. Watson is trending towards being the Week 1 starter, sure, but unless he suddenly returns to Pro Bowl form, Sanders is probably going to see some action at some point this season. But even that production won’t matter, Graziano says, because the team is going to lose a lot of games, and the Browns will be ready to just move on from both of them. This team just looks shaky heading into the season, man, despite them having some quality individual pieces on both sides of the ball.
If Graziano’s prediction holds true, and the Browns finish with one of the worst records, then turning to a rookie in that stacked 2027 NFL Draft class makes all the sense in the world for them. Meanwhile, over here in the Emerald City, our own Seahawks’ 2nd-round S Bud Clark just got some tough news about his Week 1 starting job. For Cleveland, the stakes are clear: this season could be a full reset at the most important position on the field.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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