Veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson is locked in a battle with Shedeur Sanders to become the Cleveland Browns’ QB1 next season.
Despite their ongoing QB1 tussle, Watson and Sanders recently worked out together with their teammates in Miami to sharpen their chemistry ahead of training camp.
Browns Insider Gives Deshaun Watson Edge in QB1 Battle Over Shedeur Sanders
During an interview on this week’s “The Ken Carman Show With Anthony Lima,” Cleveland beat writer Mary Kay Cabot raved over Watson’s performances during the Browns’ training sessions and the willingness of the franchise’s fans to give him a chance next season.
“I think people will be open-minded towards Deshaun if he performs well, and he plays well, and that’s gonna be hard to determine during the training camp,” Cabot said. “It isn’t going to be until the games begin when people will actually be able to see if he has got anything left in the tank or what he has left in the tank. But from a physical standpoint, right now, he looks really good.
“He looks to be, in my mind, the best shape that I’ve seen him in. And we see that ball come out even in the workouts over this summer break. When you see the agility, you see the athleticism that has always been there, but he just looks really, really sharp right now. I could be wrong, but I think fans will give him a chance to see if he can go out there and win some football games.”
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Watson was one of the more electrifying quarterbacks in the league during his stint with the Houston Texans, earning three Pro Bowl nods. Since being traded to the Browns in 2022, his career has been derailed by on-field struggles and injuries, while he has dealt with the aftermath of sexual harassment allegations that were leveled against him.
“I think people will be open minded towards Deshaun if he performs well. From a physical standpoint, he looks good. He looks to be, in my mind, the best shape that I’ve seen him in.”
📞@MaryKayCabot on Deshaun Watson, how fans would perceive him if announced as starting QB pic.twitter.com/8MHAJtffl0
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) July 23, 2026
In 2023, Watson missed 11 games because of a rotator cuff injury and a displaced fracture in his throwing shoulder, which ultimately led to season-ending surgery. In 2024, the polarizing quarterback ruptured his Achilles tendon, keeping him out of the last 10 games of the season.
In January 2025, it was discovered that he re-ruptured his Achilles tendon, causing him to miss the whole season. In total, Watson has made 19 starts for the Browns, despite signing a fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million contract with the franchise.
On the other hand, Sanders had a rocky start to his Cleveland career after being buried in the depth chart behind Dillon Gabriel and Joe Flacco.
The former Colorado Buffaloes star rose in the depth chart to finish the season as the Browns’ QB1, throwing for 1,400 passing yards on a 56.6% completion percentage, 7 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions to earn a PFN QB Impact score of 63.0, which ranked second-to-last in the league among eligible quarterbacks.
