Do Browns plan to give Shedeur Sanders a real chance to defeat Deshaun Watson in QB competition?

According to multiple reports, veteran Deshaun Watson has a significant lead over Shedeur Sanders in the competition for the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback job that some seem to believe may already be over. 

On Monday, NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated touched upon whether or not the Browns have already decided to start Watson for their Week 1 game at the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 13.

Browns will still be "fair" to Shedeur Sanders despite Deshaun Watson reports?

"There’s going to be a lot of noise around the Browns quarterback situation, but I do believe (head coach) Todd Monken’s going to be fair about it," Breer wrote. "What does that mean? To me, it means no one’s getting anointed. The best man will win. And the cool thing about it is if you look at the new Browns coach’s history, he has enough schematic clubs in his bag to make it work for whoever he picks — be it Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders or whoever else."

On Sunday, Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer hinted that Monken would like to name a QB1 by "the end of mandatory minicamp on June 11." If that is the case, one would think Sanders won't be able to do anything during workouts that often go ignored by casual fans to leapfrog Watson on the depth chart before Cleveland players begin their summer breaks. 

Browns still want to see if Deshaun Watson has anything good left in the tank?

The Browns acquiring Watson from the Houston Texans in March 2022 and then signing him to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230M contract have been disastrous decisions for Cleveland. He has made just 19 regular-season starts for the Browns, and the club reportedly does not plan to bring him back next year. 

Watson hasn't taken a regular-season snap since he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in October 2024. He missed all of this past campaign after he reinjured the Achilles during his recovery. 

"Yes, I think the Browns would like to get one last long look at the quarterback they’re spending $230M on and forked over three first-round picks for, now that Watson is back and healthy," Breer added. "Similarly, it’d make sense to have a full and thorough idea of who Sanders, (fellow 2025 rookie) Dillon Gabriel and even (2026 sixth-round choice) Taylen Green are ahead of what could be a franchise-shifting offseason in 2027, with the team potentially lining up another big swing at getting the quarterback position right once and for all next April."

That portion of Breer's update suggests Watson is still the heavy favorite to get the nod for the Jacksonville game. What happens beyond that contest regarding Cleveland's quarterback situation is anybody's guess ahead of Memorial Day.