Update on Browns' Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson plan emerges amid trade, Brendan Sorsby rumors

Cleveland Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer recently poured cold water over rumors that suggested the club could trade second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders before training-camp practices get underway in late July and that claimed first-year Browns head coach Todd Monken has already decided that veteran Deshaun Watson will be the team's Week 1 starter.

For a piece published on Wednesday, Cabot indicated that Sanders and Watson could compete for the QB1 job through the bulk of August. 

When Browns plan to determine winner of Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson competition

"Even the joint practice against the Bills on Aug. 20 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus won’t be an accurate barometer, because the QBs can’t get hit," Cabot wrote. "The Browns need to see Watson and Sanders elude edge-rushers, absorb a hit, and fit the ball into tight windows in a game situation before they can more accurately determine who gives them the best chance to win."

The Browns will host the Bills for a preseason game on Aug. 22. Cleveland's preseason will end with a home game against the New England Patriots on Aug. 27.

Interestingly, Cabot mentioned that the Browns haven't necessarily "ruled out trading Sanders at the end of camp...if Watson wins the starting job." However, Cabot was sure to point out that "the Browns still plan to head into training camp July 29 with a heated two-way battle between Watson and Sanders, who narrowed the gap on the three-time Pro Bowler in the final weeks of organized team activities and minicamp."

"Teams might be asking about Sanders when talking to the Browns about other players," Cabot added, "but they’re not actively shopping their 2025 fifth-round pick, and aren’t soliciting trade offers. Again, that could change later this summer if Watson wins the job, but the two-way battle is set to resume July 29."

Would Browns pursue Brendan Sorsby if he becomes available?

Before it was learned on Tuesday that the NFL would not be holding a supplemental draft this summer, Cabot said on multiple occasions that she felt "strongly" that the Browns would not place a bid on Brendan Sorsby during the player-selection process. 

Sorsby's camp seems ready to battle with the NFL about his availability for the 2026 season. It sounds like Cleveland won't become a potential landing spot for the controversial quarterback anytime soon. 

"The Browns are still unlikely to bid on Sorsby if the NFL is forced to hold the special draft," Cabot shared on Wednesday, "but they’ll finish their work on him if that’s the case." 

While Cabot insisted that the Browns "like what they have in their quarterback room," she also hinted that Cleveland is among the teams that are worried about the fact that "Sorsby is fresh out of rehab, completing his 35-day residential treatment program last month."

The NCAA previously deemed Sorsby ineligible to play during the upcoming college season after he admitted to gambling on Indiana games when he was a member of that program. As of Thursday morning, he won't be able to enter the league before the 2027 NFL Draft is held next spring.