{
  "id": 704835,
  "title": "Deshaun Watson starting Browns' exhibition opener at QB, Shedeur Sanders to start next week vs Bills",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/deshaun-watson-starting-browns-exhibition-opener-at-qb-shedeur",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-12T22:11:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/deshaun-watson-starting-browns-exhibition-221123492.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will begin the team's exhibition opener against Chicago on Saturday, marking his first game action since 2024. Watson, who has been sidelined by injuries and personal turmoil, is expected to play the first half and take part in the third quarter. The backup quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, will take over for the second half against the Bears. This marks the start of the QB competition for the Browns, which has been ongoing throughout training camp. Coach Todd Monken revealed his plans for the Chicago matchup without providing further reasoning. Sanders, a fifth-round pick from 2025, has shown promise in the offense but acknowledges there's still work to be done. Both players are at different stages in their careers, with Watson having a lengthy suspension and Sanders still working on his skills. Monken aims to have his starter in place well before Week 1 of the regular season.",
  "summary": "Deshaun Watson gets to go first. The polarizing quarterback will start Cleveland's exhibition opener at Chicago on Saturday — his first game action since 2024 — and Shedeur Sanders will play in the second half as the Browns' QB competition creeps toward a conclusion. First-year coach Todd Monken informed Watson and Sanders of his plans for the first two preseason games following Wednesday's…",
  "key_points": [
    "Deshaun Watson to start Browns exhibition opener vs Chicago",
    "Shedeur Sanders to take over for second half",
    "QB competition ongoing throughout training camp"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/704835.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Deshaun Watson will start the Browns' preseason opener",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/deshaun-watson-will-start-the-browns-preseason-opener",
        "published": "2026-08-12T22:08:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Japan Times",
        "title": "Deshaun Watson to start at QB in Browns preseason opener",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/deshaun-watson-to-start-at-qb-in-browns-preseason-opener",
        "published": "2026-08-13T02:52:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}