Deshaun Watson to start Browns’ preseason opener vs. Bears, with Shedeur Sanders getting QB1 nod next

The Cleveland Browns will open their preseason with Deshaun Watson listed as the first quarterback, when they play the Chicago Bears in Chicago on Saturday, the team announced. A week later, Shedeur Sanders will take the QB1 duties for Cleveland in the Browns’ Aug. 22 preseason game against the Buffalo Bills at home.

The sequencing matters because preseason games are often where teams evaluate how their quarterbacks operate with the starters, even if the playbook remains selective. By assigning first-team status for the first two dates in consecutive weeks, Cleveland is creating a clear comparison window across the same preseason stretch, rather than splitting reps irregularly.

Watson’s start in the opener sets the tone for how Cleveland plans to use its game-week preparation. In an exhibition environment, teams typically prioritize timing and structure with first-unit offensive personnel, including protection calls, quick-game concepts, and red-zone packages, then gradually widen the look as each game progresses.

Sanders will follow Watson as QB1 against Buffalo, giving him the same early-preseason spotlight in front of the Browns’ home crowd. For quarterbacks, that kind of continuity can be useful, because it allows a team to keep its evaluation consistent across weeks, especially when similar starter groups are expected to be on the field.

The Browns’ decision to alternate the preseason opening quarterback also underlines how the team is managing attention on its quarterback room while still treating preseason as a developmental tool. Even with the focus on starters, preseason games are not usually designed to settle public debates. They are meant to translate practice preparation into live reads under game conditions.

What to watch next is how each quarterback handles first-drive fundamentals and tempo with the initial offensive group. In particular, the early indicators that tend to matter most in these situations are the ability to execute protection without breaking rhythm, sustain drives with short- and intermediate-route distribution, and maintain decision-making as defenses substitute off-script looks.

Given the limited amount of verified detail available beyond the announced starters, any deeper conclusions about the Browns’ longer-term quarterback depth chart should be deferred until more preseason context is established. Still, Cleveland’s approach clearly indicates that both quarterbacks will receive meaningful starting reps in the opening portion of the exhibition schedule.