Browns - Watson vs Sanders for QB1 | Page 6 |

Browns Watson vs Sanders for QB1

I think this OFF could score @21 PPG.great.1,000yds RB + WR. improving from 2nd worst 16.4
problem is I have the D giving up over 25 PPG.thats a slight fall from last years 22.3 PPG
2.7 PPG more without MG/JS. that number is very modest. 🙏
 
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It remains to be seen to me.

If the offense plays better the D might be more flexible to do different things. If we have an early 10 point lead it will open up the defense.

No different than if we're down early by 10 the offense is likely to pass more often or open up the offense. Who knows how Monken is going to play it?
 
So I can't really trust Zach Jackson's man crush on Shedeur. Or it's just hatred for Watson, I'm not sure..but I don't find him to be very objective. For ME.. I just see Zero upside in starting Watson....... None.. Only bad can come of it. Couple bad things IMO.. He plays well enough they give him a new contract..that's gotta be the worst. His starting stunts Shedeur's growth. We MUST find out what we have with Shedeur... It's the only thing that makes sense. THEN; we MUST cut bait on Watson when the year is over.. if the guy goes on to win 5 super bowls somewhere else.. more power too him. We've wasted years on his contract, inability to play, wasted draft picks, and his cap hit will still haunt us another 2 years.. We might actually get 12-18 million in cap relief due to the Browns insurance policy they have on Watson since he didn't play last year... He needs to be the backup period... If Shedeur proves he's QB1 amazing.. we build around him.. if nothing else.. he's a solid backup we used a 5th rounder on.. and we draft future QB1 next year and pray we hit.. .. NO MATTER WHAT.. the team being built around the QB position appears to be VERY talented.. We are right on the brink of this thing taking off.. I'm going to be pissed if Watson gets named the starter. simple as that..
 
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homer simpson episode 10 GIF
 
To follow up on what I said about possible salary cap relief due to Watson Missing this year and the insurance policy that the Browns took out..it appears to be a reality as I saw this gem today:

ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio reports the Browns received CAP RELIEF for Deshaun Watson’s injuries.​

Florio’s discoveries come after he was asked, “How much cap space did the Browns save due to the insurance policy on Deshaun Watson for him missing the entire 2025 season?” After what appears to be an exhaustive amount of work to come up with a ballpark figure, Florio reports the “total in cap credit for 2024 through 2029" was just over $88 million, a total that is derived from reported cap credits the Browns have received or will receive that range from $4.951 million to $8.79 million. These were reflected in records obtained from the NFLPA, which showed in multiple locations in Watson’s contract a “return of [signing bonus] from insurance policy,” per Florio. Watson is in the final year of a record-setting five-year, $230 million fully-guaranteed contract that has come up well short of expectations for the Browns thus far. While the team is still ultimately on the hook for paying Watson, $88 million in refunds for the games Watson missed due to injury may have dulled some of the pain of those expenses for the Haslam family.

Every little bit counts..
 
So how many in the history works.. no clue but here is the breakdown on the salary cap refund: According to Mike Florio, the Browns are getting back $88.781 million in cap credit in all that'll happen between 2024 and 2029. It breaks down like this: $8.79 million (for 2024), $8.79 million (for 2025), $7.983 million (for 2025), $8.781 million (for 2026), $7.992 million (for 2026), $4.951 million (for 2026) $8.755 million (for 2027), $8.018 million (for 2027), $8.755 million (for 2028), $7.983 million (for 2028), and $7.983 million (for 2029)............

So I asked CHATGPT about the years in the past and this was the response.. how accurate.. I don't know:
This is one of the more confusing parts of the NFL salary cap because it involves insurance recoveries and salary cap accounting, which are separate from cash payments.

Here’s what’s happening

When the Cleveland Browns paid Deshaun Watson while he was injured, they carried his full salary cap charge at the time. Later, because Watson missed enough time with a covered injury, the Browns received an insurance reimbursement on some of the guaranteed salary they had paid.

Under NFL rules, that insurance reimbursement can generate a salary cap credit.

So how do they get money back for 2024 and 2025 if those years are over?​

They don’t reopen or change those salary caps.

Instead, the NFL applies the credit to future salary caps.

Think of it like filing an amended tax return:

  • In 2024 you overpaid.
  • The IRS doesn’t rewrite history.
  • Instead, they send you a refund today.
The NFL does something similar.

The Browns’ 2024 and 2025 caps remain exactly as they were. The credits created by those years simply become additional cap room in later league years.

Why does the list still say “for 2024” and “for 2025”?​

Those labels identify which season generated the credit, not when the Browns receive usable cap space.

For example:

  • 2024 injury insurance creates an $8.79M cap credit.
  • That credit is recognized now and applied going forward.
  • The Browns don’t suddenly have $8.79M extra in the already-completed 2024 season.
The same is true for 2025.

Why are there multiple entries for the same year?​

Those represent different insured salary payments or bonus components becoming eligible for reimbursement at different times.

For example, 2026 has:

  • $8.781M
  • $7.992M
  • $4.951M
Those are separate accounting items rather than one single payment.

What it means for Cleveland​

The important number is the total:

Approximately $88.8 million in future salary cap relief.

That doesn’t mean they receive an $88.8 million check today. It means the NFL will give them roughly $88.8 million of additional cap room spread over future league years, offsetting cap charges they previously had to absorb.

So even though 2024 and 2025 are over, the Browns still benefit because those seasons generated insurance-related cap credits that can be realized in later years rather than by reopening past salary caps.
 
Over the Cap says Florio's numbers were actually the revised prorated bonus amounts, and that in order to calculate savings the Browns would get via cap credits, they needed to be subtracted from the original bonus amounts.

They said the yearly savings instead were as follows:

$202,322 (for 2024)
$965,164 (for 2025)
$202,322 (for 2025)
$3,997,386 (for 2026)
$965,164 (for 2026)
$202,322 (for 2026)
$202,322 (for 2027)
$965,164 (for 2027)
$965,164 (for 2028)
$202,322 (for 2028)
$965,164 (for 2029)

I guess we'll find out when we find out.


 
What's Zac Jackon saying about Sanders v Watson?

This excerpt?

"Watson looked healthy in the spring and threw the deep ball better than Sanders did, but Watson also forced too many practice passes into traffic. Sanders was clearly a more confident player in the back half of the offseason program than he was early, and at times he showcased strong accuracy, which is probably his best trait at this point."

www.nytimes.com

Sizing up the Browns’ QB options: Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders or yet another search

The Browns still have no clear starting quarterback. That will lead to a familiar theme as training camp begins.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
 
One thing the anti-Sanders crowd on X has wrong about the pro-Sanders crowd.

1. It's not that the Sanders fans are sure he's the guy, but they do feel strongly about truly giving him the reigns in 2026, to see, if, he is the guy.
2. Also, Watson won't be here in 5-6 months. Is it possible? Sure. But super unlikely.
3. If Watson gives us a better chance to win now, and nobody including Monken knows, then it's by a game or two, maybe. It's not like starting Sanders means we're gunning for a top-5 selection in April, and skipping Watson means we're passing up on a deep playoff run. Clearly, if Watson was the old Watson, he would have buried the 5th round youngster right out of the shoot.

Of course, this is all just my 2 cents fan bs. Who knows.
 
Agree. 90%+ chance we draft a QB.

Watson long term is a mega long shot. He's going to have to return to his peak form. Very unlikely.
Sanders is going to have to convince the ever living hell out of us.
 
OconRecon said:
One thing the anti-Sanders crowd on X has wrong about the pro-Sanders crowd.

1. It's not that the Sanders fans are sure he's the guy, but they do feel strongly about truly giving him the reigns in 2026, to see, if, he is the guy.
2. Also, Watson won't be here in 5-6 months. Is it possible? Sure. But super unlikely.
3. If Watson gives us a better chance to win now, and nobody including Monken knows, then it's by a game or two, maybe. It's not like starting Sanders means we're gunning for a top-5 selection in April, and skipping Watson means we're passing up on a deep playoff run. Clearly, if Watson was the old Watson, he would have buried the 5th round youngster right out of the shoot.

Of course, this is all just my 2 cents fan bs. Who knows.
Click to expand...
As I've said before, I'm not Anti or Pro-Sanders. I just want SOMETHING to work out. It would be fantastic if Sanders works out, because the Browns need the first-round picks they got in the Myles trade to go towards continuing to build the roster with outstanding young talent. The Browns are in a very intriguing window right now, with these very talented position players at RB, WR, and TE. If Sanders unlocks a new floor, the Browns could leave the rest of the division in the dust.

I do NOT want the Browns to be searching for a QB next year.
 
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