Watson is entering the final year of his fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract with the Browns after the team traded three first-round picks to acquire him in 2022. He hasn’t played an NFL snap since October 20, 2024 due to injuries, making this a pivotal year for his career and the team’s investment.
Cleveland plans an open competition for the starting job, featuring Watson alongside Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. New Browns coach Todd Monken has said he will not bring preconceived notions to the room and will let practice determine the starter, stressing that he’s excited to work with all players on the roster.
Monken underscored that any player who previously exhibited elite-level ability deserves a chance to recapture that form, and Watson will have ample opportunity to show he can still compete for the quarterback job. The veteran passer remains in the mix, but he faces a real challenge from Sanders and Gabriel.
In the draft, Cleveland traded down to land Spencer Fano at No. 9 and then selected KC Concepcion at No. 24. Looking ahead to Day 2 and beyond, the Browns hold a slate of picks including Round 2, Pick 39; Round 3, Picks 70 and 74 (the latter via the Chiefs); Round 4, Pick 107; Round 5, Picks 148 (via the Chiefs), 146, and 149 (via the Bengals); Round 6, Pick 206 (via the Bears); and Round 7, Pick 248 (via the Seahawks).
The combination of an unsettled quarterback situation and a concentrated draft plan keeps Cleveland’s summer and training camp in the spotlight, with Gruden’s pointed message adding further public scrutiny to Watson’s pathway back to relevance.
