After six seasons under Kevin Stefanski, the Cleveland Browns have a new head coach in Todd Monken, and when preseason is said and done, they could have a new starting quarterback too.
Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are competing for QB1. So far, both seem to have a fighting chance at leading the offense into battle when Week 1 kicks off on Sept. 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Yet, one QB may be gaining a head of steam in the competition.
Deshaun Watson Leaping Ahead of Shedeur Sanders?
Even though Sanders made more starts than any other QB in Cleveland last season, it hasn’t necessarily made him the frontrunner this time around. After all, both signal-callers are learning a new offense. If anything, that could give Watson, an eighth-year vet, a leg up.
Knowing the stakes of the competition are high, ESPN Cleveland has been closely monitoring the situation. So closely, that they’ve been tracking how each quarterback performs in 7-on-7 drills and during 11-on-11s.
Seeing the results from Wednesday’s training camp, popular Pat McAfee responded on X with two simple words.
HOLY SHIT https://t.co/hCndbiCfoG
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 5, 2026
The big takeaway here is Watson’s performance. The three-time Pro Bowler completed 17-of-20 passes for a whopping seven touchdowns and zero interceptions. Not only was he efficient, but Watson was also extremely clinical, striking the end zone seven times.
That type of dominance is likely to earn him some brownie points. While Monken has made it clear he doesn’t place too much emphasis on 7-on-7s, preseason is right around the corner, and whoever ends up leading the offense in the third and final preseason game will get the nod in Week 1.
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Sanders, meanwhile, completed 11-of-16 passes for two touchdowns and an interception. Not a bad effort, but not nearly as sharp as Watson’s, and the interception is a blemish on his record too.
Even if Watson took a step ahead of Sanders with Wednesday’s practice, there’s plenty of time for the 2025 fifth-round pick to make up ground. That is, unless the coaching staff feels like they’ve already seen enough to make a QB decision soon.
Watson and Sanders are each expected to start one preseason game before the Browns make their determination. Of course, that timeline could be accelerated if the coaching staff feels they have enough information to name a clear leader.
The Browns are back at it on Thursday, Aug. 6, for another day of practice, where ESPN will be counting each QB’s completions, touchdowns, and interceptions again.
Behind Watson and Sanders, the Browns also have 2025 third-round pick Dillon Gabriel and sixth-round rookie Taylen Green on the roster. Teams very rarely keep four QBs on the roster, so one of these arms may be auditioning for a chance to join another organization too.
