Browns get 'impossible' Shedeur Sanders training camp prediction

Though Sanders wasn’t the original selection, his name did eventually recive a Pro Bowl nod last year for his 1,400 yards and seven passing scores. Still, Gagnon understands that he’s not quite there yet.

“I’m not convinced he’ll put it all together, but I believe he’ll make it impossible this summer for the Browns to turn away from his high ceiling,” Gagnon added in his Bleacher Report article.

While Watson has been sitting out, Sanders has a 74% completion rate from his days in Colorado, and coaches have been noticing how he has been getting the ball out quicker and processing the offense faster, compared to the under 60% rate he had in his rookie season.

NFL insider James Palmer has reported that Sanders is closing the gap on Watson, and both the Cowboys and Buccaneers have shown interest in Cleveland about his trade availability.

Shedeur Sanders turns heads as Watson’s shoulder concern grows 

Practice impressions this week signaled a change in the assessment of the QB competition. Dan Labbe of Orange and Brown Talk noted this change in the July 6, 2026, episode of the podcast.

“I think there were people that were there watching practices for the first time in minicamp… and they came away more impressed with Shedeur Sanders than they did Deshaun Watson,” Labbe said on the podcast on July 6, 2026.

Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot recognized that Watson’s decision to flip was unexpected, considering that he was thought to be on the verge of holding the line.

“I maintain that I think his arm may have just gotten a little bit tired… he just didn’t look as strong from an accuracy standpoint,” Cabot said on the same podcast.

Watson can still be viewed as the starter on paper, but paper is not deciding the job anymore, and Cleveland’s coaches are the ones who are noticing the most.