The competition to be the Cleveland Browns’ next starting quarterback continues, and it’s come down to Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson. After months of rumors and speculation, these two men are battling to come out on top.
Right now, the team is in the middle of OTAs, giving both Sanders and Watson a chance to take to the field and try to make on-field connections with their teammates. Tony Rizzo has liked what he’s seen from both of them. Speaking on ESPN Cleveland, Rizzo commented that both Sanders and Watson look great.
It sounds like Watson might be the odds-on favorite to be QB1, but Sanders is still in contention to win that role.
“I think two things can be true at the same time. Number one, Shedeur looks a lot better, and I can’t wait to see him on the field, and we will at some point. Number two, Watson looks really good, he does. I know it’s OTAs, but that’s all I have to go by. I can only go by what I see,” Rizzo said.
“Watson looks really good, he does, I know it’s OTAs, but that’s all I have to go by,” – Rizz on what he’s seeing from Browns OTAs. pic.twitter.com/5joHZLc41P
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) May 28, 2026
As Rizzo said, OTAs don’t provide a lot of material to look at and work with, but both of these men are obviously playing their hearts out and trying their hardest to claim the role of a starter.
The good news is that Rizzo says both Watson and Sanders are playing well. That means the Browns definitely have two solid options, and they could end up being happy no matter who they choose. The same may not be true for the fans, because many have been ready to move on from Watson and let Sanders take over the role.
It would be interesting to see how Sanders would handle a demotion to backup QB. He took on that role for much of last season, and many of his supporters wanted him to remain as a starter in 2026, especially since he showed signs of improvement as the season went on. Some analysts have even said that if the Browns aren’t going to use Sanders as a starter, they may be wise to consider a trade.
Nothing is decided yet, and both of these players still have plenty of time to make more of an impact. Most reports have stated that the final decision by Todd Monken will be made during training camp.
Time may be running out, but the battle isn’t over yet.
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Analyst Says Browns QB Looks ‘1000% Better’ Than Last Year