Jeremy Fowler names favorite to win Browns' Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson competition

Conflicting reports recently emerged regarding whether Deshaun Watson is truly the favorite to defeat Shedeur Sanders in the competition for the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback job. 

During a Wednesday appearance on ESPN Cleveland, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler shared what he's heard about the Browns' battle. 

"Pulse around the league" is that this QB is the favorite to win the Browns' Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson competition

"As far as the quarterback competition, playing the quarterback position, the nuances of it, decision making, all that stuff, I would say, and what was told to me is, Deshaun was the clear favorite going in," Fowler explained. "Shedeur has closed that gap somewhat based on being decisive and having a presence about him that guys are drawn to. He's shown those two things over the last few months. Now, what that means for the bigger picture, I still think if I had to put a favorite on it based on my pulse around the league, it would be Deshaun Watson. But, Shedeur has made it interesting. That's for sure." 

A Monday report claimed that Watson "is very much the favorite to end up starting" for the Browns in Week 1. However, longtime Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer later said the competition was "sort of a dead heat." Additionally, it sounds like first-year Browns head coach Todd Monken hasn't completely slammed the door shut on the idea of starting 2025 third-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel.

What is Todd Monken's plan for training camp, preseason games? 

"I think [Monken] wants to get Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson preseason snaps in different scenarios," Fowler continued. "Teams can do that different ways. They can start one guy the first week, another guy the second, give him a quarter or a half, and see how it goes. But I think [Monken is] going to structure it in a way that he sees fit, so he can glean as much information as possible."

The Browns open the preseason with a matchup at the Chicago Bears on Aug. 15. Cleveland will then host the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 22.

Assuming Fowler is right, Sanders and Watson could both get one start before the Bills game comes to an end.