NFL voluntary minicamp brings players together to gauge where they are. The Cleveland Browns are no exception. After changing coaches and preparing for the draft, the Browns continue to figure out what they still need. Now, two players battle for the early advantage at a vital position.
Browns QBs Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson Battle for Early Advantage
After a 5-12 season and the firing of head coach Kevin Stefanski, the Browns look to start over. In the offseason, they hired former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken. The Browns, just two days away from the draft, conducted voluntary workouts. Their biggest battle remains the competition to become the starting quarterback.
ESPN Cleveland, as it did last year, is posting the daily tracker to show how the three quarterbacks, Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel, are performing.
Both Sanders and Watson completed ten passes. Watson attempted 15 throws while his second-year teammate threw one more. Additionally, Sanders threw an interception. Dillon Gabriel threw six passes, completing three with two interceptions. However, the main event lines up to be Sanders versus Watson.
The first QB tracker of 2026 from day 1 of Browns voluntary minicamp.
Each QB took reps in 11v11 and 7v7.
Who should be the week 1 starter? pic.twitter.com/rl87ZTcjyw
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) April 21, 2026
Watson hopes to reclaim his starting spot. At the same time, rustiness becomes a factor. The last game he played was on October 20, 2024, which resulted in a 21-14 home loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He is now attempting to return from two Achilles tendon tears.
Injuries and off-field behavior have limited the three-time Pro Bowler to just 19 games since arriving in Cleveland. Watson turns 31 on September 14 and last played at least 16 games when he was 25. While injuries did accumulate, the behavior issue played a role. In 2022, the NFL suspended him for 11 games based on numerous then-open lawsuits.
Shedeur Sanders deep ball picked by D’Angelo Ross pic.twitter.com/AGjowjIh8A
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) April 21, 2026
Meanwhile, Sanders, despite starting just seven games last season, made the Pro Bowl as an alternate. His journey to the starting spot started with his fifth-round selection, battling three other quarterbacks and finally receiving an opportunity. In contrast, the Browns as a whole struggled on offense, ranking No. 32 in the PFSN’s Offense Impact Metric.
Deshaun Watson and Sheduer Sanders throwing to WRs at Browns voluntary minicamp pic.twitter.com/OP7SiyH8m3
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) April 21, 2026
 After the first round of competition, Sanders and Watson seem relatively even, with the interception serving as the only difference. Also, it’s not a guarantee that either will be the Browns starter when the season starts. Cleveland owns nine picks in Thursday’s draft, including two in the first round.
Plus, the team can void Watson’s contract after the upcoming season. Sanders, as a fifth-round pick, makes a base salary of $1,005,000 this year.
Ultimately, as a new coach who wants to install his own players and scheme, Monken can choose to go in another direction. It remains to be seen which direction he will take.
