ESPN labels the Browns QB battle as 'cursed'

The Browns' quarterback battle is the lone one left among NFL teams, but it seems to be over after one week of the preseason. Head coach Todd Monken announced last week that Deshaun Watson would start the first preseason game while Shedeur Sanders would start the second. Despite the plan being laid out, ESPN's Ben Solak does not have high hopes for the situation as a whole. In a recent column posted to ESPN, Solak laid out what he deemed to be the most cursed camp battle, and the winner was the Browns quarterback battle. He writes, "Sanders might have a higher ceiling than Watson, in that he's a younger player about whom we know less. But Watson, who is in the final year of his deal, carries a (pre-June 1) dead cap hit of $86 million in 2026. That's a pretty penny. If the Browns can get palatable play from Watson, they're financially incentivized to keep him for another season and spread the cap hit out even further. So this competition might end up being decided not with on-field performance but rather on financial ramifications." After the first preseason game, it seems that Watson is in the driver's seat in a solid fashion. Shedeur Sanders will have a chance on Saturday, but that might not even be him getting to play with the same players as Watson did. A lot could happen over the next week, but it seems Watson is going to get the nod based on both the financials, as Solak pointed out, and the play on the field. This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: ESPN labels the Browns QB battle as 'cursed'