Browns QB Competition Reveals Deep-Rooted Issues in Professional Sports

The Cleveland Browns' quarterback situation epitomises the structural inequities and exploitative practices that permeate professional sports, as general manager Andrew Berry announced that both Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson will compete for the starting position in 2026.

This development highlights how the NFL's corporate machinery continues to prioritise profit over accountability, particularly regarding Watson's controversial tenure with the organisation.

The Watson Paradox: When Capital Trumps Consequence

Watson's presence on the roster remains a glaring example of how institutional power shields individuals from meaningful accountability. Despite playing only 19 games since the Browns invested three first-round picks and a fully guaranteed $230 million contract in March 2022, the organisation maintains its commitment to the quarterback.

The financial reality is stark: Cleveland owes Watson $46 million next season, with an $80.7 million cap hit in 2026. This economic entanglement demonstrates how capitalist structures within professional sports create perverse incentives that prioritise sunk costs over ethical considerations.

"Deshaun's been working really hard, he's been working his tail off," Berry stated, employing the familiar rhetoric of individual responsibility that obscures systemic failures.

Sanders' Journey: Navigating Institutional Barriers

Sanders, selected 144th overall in the 2025 draft, began their professional journey as the fourth-string quarterback, illustrating how hierarchical structures in professional sports can marginalise emerging talent. Despite starting the final seven games of 2025 with a 3-4 record, Sanders recorded the fifth-lowest QBR (18.9) among qualifying quarterbacks since 2006.

Berry's assessment reveals the organisation's expectations: "I think the biggest thing that we want to see from Shedeur is just continued growth. Playing more efficiently, not putting the ball in harm's way as much would be important."

This framing places the burden of adaptation solely on the individual player, rather than examining how organisational support systems might be failing to nurture developing talent.

The Forgotten Voice: Gabriel's Marginalisation

Perhaps most telling is Berry's acknowledgment of Dillon Gabriel, the 2025 third-round pick who started six games as a rookie. "He may be forgotten externally, but he's not forgotten to us," Berry noted, inadvertently highlighting how media narratives and organisational priorities can render certain voices invisible.

This pattern reflects broader systemic issues where emerging talent, particularly those without established platforms or representation, struggle to maintain visibility within dominant discourse.

Deconstructing the Competition Narrative

The Browns' approach to their quarterback situation exemplifies how competitive frameworks mask deeper structural inequalities. By framing the situation as an open competition, the organisation deflects attention from the underlying power dynamics and financial considerations that truly drive decision-making.

New coach Todd Monken's refusal to commit to any particular starter maintains this facade of meritocracy while preserving institutional flexibility to prioritise economic interests over sporting merit or ethical considerations.

This quarterback competition serves as a microcosm of broader societal issues, where individual narratives of competition and merit obscure systemic inequalities and institutional failures that perpetuate existing power structures.