Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders 'Have Been Less Than Thrilling' at Browns Camp

According to Ben Solak of ESPN, Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders "have been less than thrilling" at Cleveland Browns camp.

It is exceedingly unlikely that the Browns have a good starting quarterback on their roster.

"But it also might be good news that the competition won't come down to on-field performance, as both quarterbacks have been less than thrilling," Solak wrote. "As coach Todd Monken put it after a two-minute drill rife with pre-snap penalties at the end of a recent practice: 'That was awful. That was s---ty football.'"

The Browns are using training camp and preseason action to determine who QB1 will be. Watson and Sanders will both get chances to start in the preseason. 

Sanders finished his rookie season with 1,400 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 169 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. He went 3-4 as a starter.

Meanwhile, since making his Browns debut, Watson has posted a 33.1 Total QBR, the lowest among qualified passers. The odds of the former Houston Texans star turning back the clock after an Achilles tear are pretty low, which is why many NFL pundits believe Cleveland should start Sanders so the team can fully evaluate him for an entire season.

Watson has 3,365 passing yards and 19 passing touchdowns with Cleveland. He's thrown 12 interceptions. Many Cleveland fans want Sanders to start because Watson has been horrendous since getting traded to the Browns. He also dealt with off-the-field stuff.

When Watson tore his Achilles in 2024, Browns fans cheered. That should tell you everything about how Cleveland fans regard Watson. 

Watson will start for the Browns in the preseason opener against the Chicago Bears, while Sanders will start the second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills. Watson and Sanders have been alternating first-team practice reps in Cleveland's quarterback competition.

"I'm super excited," Watson said. "I think all the hard work that I've put in with the training staff, with my team, my personal team, to get to this stage has been tremendous for myself. So, I'm super excited for those opportunities and can't wait for it."

"We approach practice like a game," Sanders said. "So it's the same amount of focus and experiences. So that's why I'm excited: to feel how similar does it feel to practice, honestly. Because it's a different type of intention and a mentality that we go out there every day with."

The Browns open the 2026 season against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It will be fascinating to see who the starting QB is.