NFL expert sounds off on Browns’ ‘training camp circus’ over Shedeur Sanders confusion

Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images

NFL expert sounds off on Browns’ ‘training camp circus’ over Shedeur Sanders confusion

Originally posted on HITC | By Aikansh Chaudhary | Last updated May 7, 2026 3:01 PM ET

The Cleveland Browns could be heading toward another quarterback controversy, and one NFL insider believes they are setting themselves up for chaos.

With Shedeur Sanders now in the mix, questions are already forming about his role behind Deshaun Watson.

While adding a talented young quarterback can be seen as long-term planning, it can also create immediate distractions. That is exactly what some analysts are warning about.

Because for the Browns, this situation is starting to feel familiar.

Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images

Jake Trotter warns the Cleveland Browns about Shedeur Sanders ‘training camp circus’

Speaking via ESPN Cleveland, Jake Trotter questioned the logic behind Cleveland’s decision-making.

“If you believe in Shedeur and you think there is a path to him becoming your franchise quarterback, I understand obviously taking him,” Trotter said.

He added, “But if you don’t feel that way, and you do take him still, and now you create this training camp circus where everybody is focused on the backup quarterback, which was the case in August last year.”

The concern is not about Sanders’ talent, but about the attention he brings.

Highly touted rookie quarterbacks often become the center of fan and media focus, especially when the starter ahead of them is already under scrutiny.

For Cleveland, that spotlight could quickly shift away from Watson and onto Sanders the moment training camp begins.

Deshaun Watson uncertainty adds to Browns’ quarterback debate

Trotter also pointed out the confusion surrounding the current starter.

“And the other part of it that I don’t understand is we’re hearing all this about Deshaun Watson’s gonna start, right? Whether you agree with it or not, it’s coming from somewhere,” Trotter further stated.

Watson’s situation remains complicated. He is still viewed internally as the Browns’ starting quarterback, but his inconsistent performances and injury history have left doubts about his long-term future.

If Watson struggles early in camp or during the season, calls for Sanders could grow quickly, turning what was meant to be a developmental situation into a full-blown quarterback controversy.

This is not a new issue for Cleveland either. The franchise has dealt with similar distractions in past seasons, where backup quarterbacks drew outsized attention during camp and preseason.

Trotter’s warning is simple. If the Browns are not fully committed to Sanders as a future starter, drafting him might create more problems than solutions.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: