​Pro Football Focus released its ranking of all 32 starting NFL quarterbacks ahead of the 2026 season, and for Browns fans, the results were unsurprising. The list aligns closely with what most observers would expect, and while it isn’t purely a tally of the 2025 PFF grades, those numbers do factor into the overall assessment to some degree. At the very top, the usual suspects occupy the leading spots. Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, and Patrick Mahomes are ranked as the four best quarterbacks in the league.
What makes those four so compelling is that they are all elite, yet they excel in very different ways. In my view, Allen represents the purest quarterback talent in the league: he possesses the best arm, exceptional athleticism, and a fearless willingness to play aggressively on every snap. Burrow is the quintessential pocket passer who thrives by dissecting defenses from within the structure of the offense, yet he has enough athleticism to extend plays and gain yards when needed. Jackson stands out as a complete player who, crucially, has developed into one of the most accurate throwers in the game, a transformative evolution for his style. Mahomes, at number four, embodies the “can’t lose” mindset—an almost Brady-like competitive edge that consistently fuels his ability to win.
So where do the Browns land in this ranking? If your guess was dead last, you wouldn’t be far off. PFF slotted Deshaun Watson at No. 32 among NFL quarterbacks, taking into account the context surrounding him. The analysis notes his history of injury—two Achilles tendon injuries—and the struggles he endured prior to those injuries. There is still a chance for Watson to prove he belongs in this league again in 2026, but many observers, and perhaps some Browns fans, have already begun to question whether his window in Cleveland has effectively closed.
Three spots ahead of Watson, in the Honorable Mentions portion of the list, is Cleveland’s other quarterback option, Shedeur Sanders. He drew a less-than-glowing assessment due to a 42.3 PFF grade, which placed him 42nd out of 43 eligible quarterbacks. It’s important to recognize that rookies are difficult to evaluate from a single season, and Sanders’ sample size—seven games—makes definitive judgments especially risky. The general view, which I share, is that a young quarterback should be given the opportunity to grow. If Sanders can improve, he could become a meaningful building block for the Browns. If not, Cleveland could be looking at a quarterback-rich 2027 draft landscape.
The overall outlook for Cleveland’s quarterback situation remains bleak, not due to a lack of potential in the game itself but because the current options present significant limitations. Neither Watson’s recent form nor Sanders’ early trajectory offers a clear path to sustained success in the near term. If Sanders can develop into a functional starter, the Browns might have a worthwhile project to build around; if not, the franchise could find itself navigating a quarterback-heavy 2027 class with high expectations. This assessment reflects more than just a snapshot of a single season; it weighs continued development, durability, and the intangible leadership and consistency required to compete at the NFL level.
This write-up originally appeared on Browns Wire, offering a candid look at PFF’s 2026 quarterback rankings and what they mean for Cleveland’s franchise plans going forward.