The Deshaun Watson vs. Shedeur Sanders starting quarterback battle kicked into high gear during the Cleveland Browns' first preseason game against the Chicago Bears on Saturday, Aug. 15. First-year Browns coach Todd Monken tapped Watson to start the game against the Bears. He was expected to play the first half of the game before making way for Sanders at the start of the third quarter. Monken's plan held to form, and both signal-callers got extended action against Chicago. At the end of the day, it appears Watson has the early advantage in what represents one of the league's last remaining quarterback battles ahead of the 2026 NFL season. Here are the winners and losers from Cleveland's quarterback battle with the Browns' first preseason game – a 34-10 loss – now in the books.
Browns QB battle winners from preseason Week 1 Deshaun Watson Watson returned to the field for the first time since Oct. 20, 2024, in Saturday's game against the Bears. Few knew exactly what to expect from the 30-year-old, who was returning a twice-torn Achilles and had only played 19 total games since the start of the 2021 NFL season. In a half of action, Watson proved that he may still have the skills needed to win Cleveland's quarterback competition. Watson got off to a hot start in Saturday's contest. He was accurate out of the chute, demonstrating great accuracy and ball placement while leading Cleveland to points on two of his first three drives. The veteran also showed solid mobility considering his injury history and was able to turn potential negative plays into neutral ones with his instinctive scrambling. Watson wasn't perfect against the Bears. Chicago ratcheted up its pressure as the half went on, and Watson wasn't able to consistently deal with it. The Browns generated just 29 yards on 12 plays over their final three drives thanks, in part, to the pressure. Watson also lost a fumble on a strip sack on a fourth-and-2 from the Chicago 40-yard line. Still, despite his late-half struggles, Watson completed 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards. He showed good chemistry with Jerry Jeudy, KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston and looked the part of a capable game manager within Monken's offense. Will Watson's performance be enough to cement him as the winner of Cleveland's quarterback battle? Not yet, but it was a good first step for the 2017 first-round pick as he looks to claim the mantle. Todd Monken Monken has insisted throughout the offseason that the quarterback battle between Watson and Sanders has been close. His decision about the starter may be getting easier as the preseason progresses, which could be a welcome development for him ahead of his first season as an NFL head coach. Watson's performance against the Bears compared to Sanders' should put the 30-year-old veteran ahead in Cleveland's quarterback battle. Monken already appeared to be leaning in Watson's direction after naming him the starter for the preseason opener, so the 60-year-old can feel good about the process he is using to evaluate the quarterback competition. Browns QB battle losers from preseason Week 1 Shedeur Sanders On Sanders' first drive, it looked like he might go toe-to-toe with Watson. He went 3 of 4 passing for 63 yards on the opening drive and hit Gage Larvadain and Luke Floriea for long, downfield gains on well-placed deep passes. However, Sanders' accuracy waned as the contest progressed. He had a pass batted down at the line of scrimmage and, more importantly, badly sailed an ugly interception over the head of Malachi Corley. .oembed-frame {width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;border:0;}
Beanie Bishop Jr. gets the INT CLEvsCHI on @nflnetwork Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/c8uNrWPLAr — NFL (@NFL) August 15, 2026
Sanders still had some good moments and showed growth since his rookie season. He notably avoided being sacked and looked more comfortable within the pocket, which is a positive sign for his development. Still, Sanders' interception will cast a pall over his 2026 preseason debut. It also seems likely to put him behind the more polished Watson in Cleveland's quarterback battle. That will put a lot of pressure on Sanders to reverse that trend when he starts the Browns' second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills. SHEDEUR SANDERS GRADE: QB's 2026 preseason debut marred by ugly play - instant analysis Dillon Gabriel Gabriel played the final three drives for the Browns against the Bears. The second-year lefty didn't look very good, tossing an interception that was just as ugly as Sanders' and taking two sacks for a loss of 16 yards while completing 5 of 8 passes for just 22 yards. Gabriel isn't going to get a lot of playing time because of the Browns' quarterback battle. With that in mind, he needs to take full advantage of any and all repetitions he gets to stake his claim to the third-string quarterback role. The only saving grace for him is that his primary competition for the third-string job, Taylen Green, didn't see any action against the Bears. Taylen Green Green's playing time appears to be a casualty of the Watson vs. Sanders battle. With the top two signal-callers absorbing the majority of the repetitions against the Bears, Green – a sixth-round rookie – didn't see the field at all. Green is just 23 years old and is viewed as a raw talent with a cannon of an arm and elite mobility. He needs as many live-game reps as possible to aid in his development, but he won't get them as long as the quarterback battle remains ongoing. Perhaps Green will get an extended look later in the preseason, but for now, he appears to be largely blocked in Cleveland's quarterback rotation. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Deshaun Watson winner, Shedeur Sanders loser in Week 1 of Browns QB battle