One of the most intense quarterback battles will take place in Cleveland this offseason, as Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders will battle for the right to lead the Browns starting offense onto the field Sept. 13 vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Watson is now finally healthy after tearing his right Achilles tendon twice in the span of four months. The $230 million man sat out the entire 2025 season and is looking to reclaim his title of QB1. His direct competition, Sanders, made the Pro Bowl as a rookie last year after going 3-4 in his seven starts, and is already one of the most polarizing players in the entire league. In about a week, both quarterbacks will take to the practice field in Berea, Ohio and try to win over new head coach Todd Monken.
Sanders spoke about the ongoing quarterback battle while hosting a free youth football camp in Brooklyn, Ohio, this week, and said that he and Watson are fighting to be the best versions of themselves. Part of that means helping each other.
"I would say it's the same thing that we've been saying from Day 1," Sanders said, via Cleveland.com. "We're both trying to be the best version of ourselves we could be. So we're not going to let anything get in between that. So it's a level of respect that we all in the quarterback room have for each other.
"And we're not really emotional when it comes to things that we can't control. We mainly focus on and thrive on getting better in the work every day. So if I like something he's doing, I ask. If he likes something I do, then [he] asks. It's conversation, and that's what's most effective."
Sanders and Watson even co-hosted a passing camp for their Browns teammates in Miami earlier this month, where they reportedly bonded with some time off the field.
"I think it was extremely important that us as a group, for whoever was available, was available to come down to Miami," Sanders said. "And there were a couple other players that schedules didn't align with it, but it's all good for those that came and stuff. It was truly amazing. And we felt a different type of bond just outside of the facility, outside of these things.
"And we all vow to continue doing our part and keep it going while we're here. Those relationships and how funny it is when you have a lot of dialogue and in different situations where a lot of your teammates is very fun and it's exciting. You create these real memories, these real bonds, and it's irreplaceable. So I'm truly thankful that it happened. I know everybody that came was excited and we had a great time."
Cleveland's QB comparison
| Deshaun Watson | Shedeur Sanders | |
|---|---|---|
| Games played | 19 (9-10) | 8 (3-4) |
| Completion percentage | 61.2% | 56.6% |
| Passing yards per game | 177.1 | 175.0 |
| TDs | 19 | 7 |
| INTs | 12 | 10 |
| Yards per attempt | 6.0 | 6.6 |
| Passer rating | 80.7 | 68.1 |
Sanders said he improved how he does "everything" in his life this offseason, whether it's how he sleeps, breathes or even drinks water. His rookie season was a bit of a mixed bag. While Sanders did become the first Browns quarterback since 1995 to win his first NFL start and supplanted Dillon Gabriel, who was drafted over Sanders last year, he still struggled.
Since his NFL debut in Week 11, Sanders has owned the second-worst completion percentage (57%) and thrown the most interceptions (10). His 68.1 passer rating ranked second-worst in the league, as did his TD-INT ratio (7-10). There are clearly areas where Sanders needs to improve, but he's not close to his ceiling. We can't say the same thing about Watson.
Since that fateful trade in 2022, where the Browns sent the Houston Texans three first-round picks for their quarterback and signed him to a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed extension, Watson has been one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL. He has started just 19 games over his four years in Cleveland, winning nine of them, and owns the league's worst completion percentage, yards per attempt and TD-INT ratio since being traded.
This was a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback who led the NFL in passing in 2020. The Browns front office is holding out hope that Watson can turn it around in the final year of his contract, and it was reported in late April that he has the inside track to winning the starting job. However, "inside track" means nothing when cleats hit the turf in training camp on July 28.
