Browns insider sounds alarms about Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson QB competition

Pockets of Cleveland Browns fans were excited to learn that the competition for the starting quarterback job involving Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders will remain too close to call heading into the NFL's summer break. 

After all, Watson allegedly has no future with the Browns beyond the upcoming season, while Sanders could still prove himself to be the club's long-term quarterback. During a Wednesday appearance on Cleveland sports radio station 92.3 The Fan, Browns insider Daryl Ruiter painted a gloomy picture regarding the team's current quarterback situation. 

Deshaun Watson has failed to impress during mandatory minicamp

"His press conference was better than his day on the practice field," Ruiter said about Watson's performance on Wednesday. "... From his standpoint, all you can ask for at this point is an opportunity, and the Browns are giving him that. It's kind of on him, what he does with the opportunity from there."

Eyebrows were raised when it was reported in April that Watson had "the inside track to be named" Cleveland's 2026 Week 1 starter. Sanders has since seemingly closed the gap in a battle that may now run through August. 

Neither Deshaun Watson nor Shedeur Sanders has looked like a legitimate QB1 this spring?

The hope among fans is that Sanders has outperformed Watson. Ruiter suggested that hasn't necessarily been the case. 

"If he's the lead dog in this race," Ruiter said about Watson, "I don't know if that says more about how far behind Shedeur is or just what an interesting season we'll be in for, is how I will put it. He'll throw a beautiful ball on one throw, and then the next throw miss a receiver by five yards. ...This thing's going to go into training camp, and I have no idea when [head coach Todd Monken is] going to be able to name a starter, because neither one of these guys is distinguishing themselves. Not by any stretch of the imagination."

Recent reports indicated that Monken could extend the competition through Cleveland's second preseason game, a home matchup versus the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 22. Cleveland ends the preseason with a game at the New England Patriots on Aug. 27.

"Not the least bit impressed with Deshaun [Wednesday]," Ruiter continued, "and I've not really been all that impressed with him this offseason other than he is healthy." 

It sounds like Sanders could ultimately get the nod for Cleveland's Week 1 game at the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 13 by default.