As the Cleveland Browns get set to begin training camp, they are no closer to deciding on a starting quarterback — at least as far as the public knows. With a new head coach in town, Todd Monken, Cleveland was hoping to declare a starter after OTAs. Instead, two players are still embroiled in a heated battle for the Browns’ starting job.
Second-year QB Shedeur Sanders is locked in a competition with veteran Deshaun Watson, fresh off his Achilles injuries. The Browns are paying Watson a lot of money as he enters the final year of his infamous fully-guaranteed contract, but they aren’t tied to him after this year. Sanders, on the other hand, is younger and with more upside — at least in theory.
It’s unclear which player has the edge as Cleveland gets set to enter training camp (if either of them even do), but Sanders got some high praise from coaches recently.
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Receives High Praise from Coaches
GettyBEREA, OHIO – MAY 20: Deshaun Watson #4 and Shedeur Sanders #2 of the Cleveland Browns look to pass during the Cleveland Browns OTA Offseason Workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 20, 2026 in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
“Monken wanted to enter camp with a clear starter, but he was impressed with both Watson and Sanders during the offseason workout program, so the competition continues,” ESPN Browns reporter Daniel Oyefusi wrote on Thursday. “Watson is healthy after a pair of Achilles surgeries that sidelined him for the 2025 season. He has experience as a nine-year veteran, although he has only played in 19 games since 2022 because of suspension and injuries, and he has struggled during those starts.”
“Sanders, a 2025 fifth-round pick who started seven games as a rookie, has impressed coaches with his grasp of the offense in recent months,” he added.
“One year after Sanders started as QB4 in Cleveland, he is in contention to start,” Oyefusi continued, naming Sanders as a player to watch in Browns camp. “Sanders has always been adept at throwing the deep ball, but it is his ability to decipher through a pass rush and make smart decisions that will be the key to taking control of the competition.”
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Has Come a Long Way in Just a Year
GettyCINCINNATI, OHIO – JANUARY 04: Shedeur Sanders #12 of the Cleveland Browns warms up prior to the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Last season, four players entered Browns training camp in a competition for the starting quarterback spot: Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Sanders. Of those, Sanders began the summer fourth on the depth chart, only working his way up in the second half of the season.
Flash forward a year, and Sanders is one of the prime contenders for the Browns starting quarterback job. The stakes are high for him, as a big season could convince Cleveland to pass on what’s expected to be an elite crop of quarterbacks in 2027 in favor of giving Sanders more run.
To earn that chance, though, Sanders will first have to beat out Watson in training camp. His coaches seem to think he can do that.
Browns’ Shedeur Sanders Receives High Praise From Coaches Ahead of Training Camp