Shedeur Sanders has no interest in fueling the outside narratives surrounding his competition with Deshaun Watson.
Watson and Sanders are competing for the starting job, but they have consistently pushed back against the idea that they are rivals. When Sanders was asked another question about Watson during training camp Saturday, the Cleveland Browns quarterback quickly moved the conversation along.
“We just got to get a next question,” Sanders said. “I answered this question a thousand times. We focus on ourselves and what we do and what we need to do to get better each and every day. So that’s just something y’all think about and y’all care about.”
The quarterbacks have worked to keep the competition from dividing the locker room. That included organizing joint throwing sessions with Browns offensive players in Miami before training camp. Jerry Jeudy, Isaiah Bond, Denzel Boston and Dylan Sampson were among the players spotted at the workouts.
Sanders said the time together allowed the offense to strengthen its relationships away from the team facility.
“I think it was extremely important,” Sanders said. “It was truly amazing. And we felt a different type of bond just outside of the facility.”
Shedeur Sanders Focused on Growth During Browns Camp
Every throw from Sanders and Watson has been tracked and dissected since the Browns opened training camp. Sanders has delivered his share of highlights, but there have also been missed opportunities as Cleveland’s offense works through the installation of Todd Monken’s system. Sanders is trying to keep the daily results in perspective.
“So of course there’s going to be good days and bad days,” Sanders said. “We always strive to have our best days every day, but I play better and I feel better whenever I have all the information and I know exactly what’s going on at all times.
“So that’s why I just spend every minute, every hour of my time really focused on being the best quarterback I could be and being the best leader for this team I could be. And that obviously translates because the more information I know, then the more comfortable I am as a person.”
Sanders started seven games as a rookie, finishing 3-4 while completing 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Monken has repeatedly praised Sanders’ development since arriving. However, the Browns are not expected to rush their decision.
The preseason and Cleveland’s joint practice with the Buffalo Bills will give the Browns better opportunities to assess how Sanders and Watson perform in competitive situations.
Todd Monken Embraces Deion Sanders’ Visit
The Browns got a special visitor this week during camp, with Sanders’ famous father and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders stopping by.
Deion Sanders watched his son work with the starting offense. Shedeur said having his father in attendance did not change his approach.
“It was good,” Sanders said. “I’m overall focused every day by the practice. So the outside, nothing else really matters whenever I’m on the field and that. But whenever I’m off the field, of course, I’m excited that I seen my dad. I hadn’t seen him since the summer maybe. But yeah, nothing matters when you’re between the lines.”
Monken also had an opportunity to meet with Deion, who coached Shedeur at Jackson State and Colorado.
“That was really cool,” Monken said. “That was Deion Sanders, are you kidding me? Forget that it is Shedeur’s dad.”
Monken said much of what Deion described matched what the Browns have already seen from Sanders. He characterized the conversation as “part coach, part father.”
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Sends Strong Message on Deshaun Watson