From the outside, there is not much optimism surrounding the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback battle. Deshaun Watson has endured a precipitous decline over the years, and Shedeur Sanders struggled overall in his seven starts last season. There are many people who believe that the franchise’s signal-caller of the future is still in college. Though, for the squad itself, this training camp competition carries significant weight. A front-runner has seemingly emerged following Saturday’s practice.
Watson was on the field for all first-team reps, even though it was Sanders’ scheduled day, per Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. “Browns’ team spokesman said there were personnel groupings {head coach Todd Monken} wanted to see Deshaun Watson with today,” Cabot reported on X.
Cleveland is still committing a large sum of money to Watson, so if neither player stands out, there may be extra incentive to give him the reins for the start of the 2026 season. Though, one can also argue that it is more practical to get an extended look at Sanders before entering the 2027 NFL Draft. But there is another part of this equation that people are dismissing. Is it possible the Browns still have hope that No. 4 can once again make an impact in this league?
Watson earned three consecutive Pro Bowl selections with the Houston Texans and was an unquestioned star before an ugly breakup with the organization and an 11-game suspension that centered around almost 30 civil lawsuits for alleged sexual misconduct set him on a downward path. A shoulder injury and multiple Achilles surgeries have accelerated his descent, causing legions of fans to question if he can still compete at a competent level.
He might have an opportunity to change the trajectory of his NFL career, though. The 30-year-old has exhibited impressive stretches at camp and is now gaining extra attention from Monken. Shedeur Sanders is not going to concede, however.
He believes in his skill set and approach, as do many others. Preseason play has not even begun yet, which means there could be a couple of new developments before opening kickoff on Sept. 13.
The Browns can only hope that each QB levels up and pushes the other one past their usual limits, otherwise they may have to go through this process all over again next year.
From the outside, there is not much optimism surrounding the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback battle. Deshaun Watson has endured a precipitous decline over the years, and Shedeur Sanders struggled overall in his seven starts last season. There are many people who believe that the franchise’s signal-caller of the future is still in college.
