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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders will have to battle Deshaun Watson for the starting job.
Deshaun Watson might have a leg up at this point in the Cleveland Browns quarterback competition, but Shedeur Sanders is not out of the mix just yet.
Sanders and Watson are competing for the Browns’ starting job this offseason, but Cleveland has not made a firm determination on who will lead Todd Monken’s offense into Week 1. However, Watson appears to have some momentum as the Browns continue sorting through the battle.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Watson has a slight edge, largely because of his experience and comfort level in Monken’s system.
“Deshaun Watson has a leg up in the quarterback competition, but the Browns have not made any kind of firm determination yet,” Fowler said. “But the Browns like Deshaun Watson’s experience. Watson believes that Todd Monken’s offense — which has some concepts to the air raid out of college, which he’s run in the past and has some room to freelance a little bit out of the pocket — he likes that and feels like it’s a fit. But he’s got to go win the job. He hasn’t done it yet. Shedeur Sanders has had his moments this spring. He’ll have a chance. They hope to have a QB No. 1 on the depth chart by training camp. We’ll see how it shakes out.”
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Can Close Gap
It is not ideal news for Sanders, who entered the offseason with a chance to build on the momentum he created late last season. Sanders started the final seven games of his rookie season, going 3-4 while throwing for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
He spent most of the offseason in Cleveland, working out at the team facility. Sanders stressed that winning the job is his primary focus.
“This is the most important thing I have to do in my life,” Sanders said during veteran minicamp. “I have a house here. I’m comfortable, and I wanted to take everything to the next level within myself.”
The second-year quarterback still has some obvious appeal for the Browns. He is younger, cheaper and has already gained experience in the offense after being thrown into action earlier than expected as a rookie. So far, Monken has seen him take significant strides.
“I think Shedeur’s come miles, in terms of his progressions, getting the ball out, his understanding of concepts,” Monken said during OTAs. “I think he’s really, really come a long way.”
Deshaun Watson Facing Uncertain Future
Watson brings the experience edge, but his recent track record with the Browns is complicated — to say the least. He has played just 19 games for Cleveland since arriving in the blockbuster 2022 trade and missed all of last season while recovering from two Achilles surgeries. When he was last on the field in 2024, the Browns went 1-6 in his starts.
Despite his rough run, the Browns have obvious reasons to see what Watson can still offer. He has three Pro Bowls on his resume and a skill set that could fit Monken’s offense.
As it stands, the Browns have not given any indication — other than rep distribution — that anything has been determined.
“I don’t know that we have somebody who’s ahead,” offensive coordinator Travis Switzer said. “Like I said, we’re pleased with both their progress, and all the guys are doing a nice job.”
The next significant milestone will be mandatory minicamp, which runs from June 9-11.
J.R. DeGroote JR DeGroote is a staff writer for Heavy.com, where he has covered the NFL, NBA, and trending sports stories since 2019. His work focuses on some of the most passionate fanbases in sports, including reporting on the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Lakers. More about J.R. DeGroote
