Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry addressed the ongoing battle between Deshaun Watson and rookie Shedeur Sanders on the “Deebo & Joe” podcast on Monday, and he made his stance pretty clear.
“It’s a performance-based decision,” Berry said. “The contract does not matter.” That’s a bold statement, but few are buying whatever Berry’s selling these days.
Chad Johnson Doesn’t Believe Deshaun Watson’s Contract is a Non-Factor
Watson, who is in the final year of his $230 million contract, carries a cap hit of $40.9 million this season, while Sanders is playing on a rookie deal worth just $1.1 million. Berry, though, insists the front office only cares about which player gives Cleveland the best chance to win, regardless of what’s owed on paper.
Chad Johnson pushed back hard on Berry’s comments during the latest episode of his “Nightcap” podcast with Shannon Sharpe and Joe Johnson. According to Johnson, Berry’s comments were more about optics than honesty. He compared it to a politician dodging a direct question.
“When you ask this, right, like a politician, they answer the question without really answering it,” Johnson explained. “If you know the game, you understand the business when it comes to this game. You know they’re lying.”
The Bengals legend argued that money has always dictated who plays in football.
“In the history of this game, has it ever happened where someone’s making that kind of money and someone else beats them out of their position?” Johnson asked. “It just hasn’t happened, ever.”
START PREPARING:PFN’s Free Fantasy Draft Simulator
Johnson made it clear he doesn’t blame Berry personally. He understands why a general manager has to say what he said publicly, even if it doesn’t match reality behind closed doors.
“I understand it, but he has to do that. He has to come on and say that. He can’t tell the truth,” Johnson said. “But even a blind man can see how this business has always worked when it comes to the person making the most money. They’ve always been the starter.”
On the field, the early evidence seems to support Watson, at least for now. In Cleveland’s preseason opener against Chicago, Watson led a scoring drive that ended in a rushing touchdown, though he also lost a fumble and never pushed the ball downfield.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM:PFN’s Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator
It was his first game action in 22 months after a devastating Achilles re-rupture during rehab in January, a second major surgery that wiped out his entire 2025 season.
Sanders, meanwhile, threw a costly interception against Chicago’s third- and fourth-string defensive backs, an outcome that lines up with his rocky 2025 grades.
Pro Football Network ranked Sanders 37th out of 38 NFL quarterbacks last season, with a 63.0 grade, a 56.6 completion percentage, and 10 interceptions against just 7 touchdowns.
Sanders gets his shot to change the narrative Thursday against Buffalo, where he’ll start before giving way to Watson in the third quarter and Gabriel in the fourth.
But unless he dramatically outplays Watson soon, it looks like Cleveland is preparing its $230 million investment to open the season under center.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.