Browns, Deshaun Watson are going to part ways, and 3 teams could want him as their starting QB originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Cleveland Browns and Deshaun Watson are nearing the end of their time together.
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His contract dictates that he’ll spend the 2026 NFL season on the shores of Lake Erie. After that? This partnership is almost certainly going to end.
At that point, Watson could be considered by other teams as a potential starting QB.
He’ll have to perform well when given the chance in 2026, but there’s enough NFL pedigree for Watson to at least be considered elsewhere on what would surely be a cheap contract.
“Watson is a viable option to start for Cleveland this season if coach Todd Monken opts for veteran experience,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote in a new article on Thursday. “The Browns made several improvements to the offense around the quarterback. If Watson can regain his confidence and stay in the lineup, there might be a spot for him to start somewhere in 2027. The QB is 30 years old.”
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Cleveland is always looking for quarterback help, but their Watson saga will likely take the Browns out of the running.
So who does that put into the mix? There are at least a few ideas.
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Deshaun Watson 2027 landing spots
Any team that could want Watson could also target a QB in the promising 2027 draft class.
But if someone wants to opt for a veteran, Watson could potentially fit.
The New York Jets could find themselves in the mix. They’re letting Geno Smith start in 2026, and if they don’t quite land the QB they want in the draft, Watson might work.
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The Arizona Cardinals are in a similar boat as they rely on veterans this season (Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew).
And want a dark horse? The Houston Texans. Things haven’t gone great with C.J. Stroud, and if that went even more sideways, it’d be quite the full-circle moment for Watson to go back there. The ending wasn’t great, though, so it might not make enough sense to take that stab.
