This one factor could determine the winner of Browns' Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson competition

Per multiple reports, veteran Deshaun Watson will head into Memorial Day weekend holding a significant lead over 2025 rookie Shedeur Sanders in the competition for the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback job. 

For a mailbag posted on Sunday, Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer was asked if the fact that the Browns play six of their first nine games on the road could impact who head coach Todd Monken starts at quarterback when Cleveland opens the campaign with a matchup at the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 13.

Will the schedule be a factor for Browns regarding Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson decision?

"I really believe that Todd Monken will choose his starting quarterback based on who gives the Browns the best chance to win," Cabot wrote, "but if Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are really close down to the wire, the road-heavy early slate could be a factor. The Browns will field arguably the youngest offense in the NFL, with a rookie left tackle in Spencer Fano, a possible rookie starting center in Parker Brailsford, two rookie receivers in KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, and second-year players in tight end Harold Fannin Jr. and running backs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson. With so many young players, as well as five new starters on the offensive line, Monken might want a more experienced quarterback to help manage the game."

As much as Monken wants his players to ignore outside noise, it has seemed since April that the Browns have been preparing fans to see Watson take the field when Cleveland faces Jacksonville in Week 1. Cabot mentioned that Watson is 7-0 against the Jaguars for his career. He also has never lost at Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Browns play at Tampa Bay on Sept. 20.

When Todd Monken may want to make QB decison for Week 1

Cabot hinted that Monken may want to choose his starting quarterback by "the end of mandatory minicamp on June 11." Such a line would lead one to believe that Sanders likely won't be able to leapfrog a healthy Watson on the depth chart, as the team's real preparations for in-game action won't begin until training camp gets underway later this summer. 

In short, it continues to sound like it is a matter of when and not if Watson will be named Cleveland's QB1. It remains unknown what that decision will mean for Sanders' future with the franchise that started him for seven games as a rookie after it took a flier on him in the fifth round of the 2025 draft.