Browns' QB competition might not be a competition anymore

Cleveland Browns quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders (2) and Deshaun Watson (4). IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Browns' QB competition might not be a competition anymore

By Ernesto Cova | Last updated Aug 10, 2026 8:01 AM ET

Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken was in no rush to name a starting quarterback in the spring.

He had Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders split first-team reps at OTAs and through the first nine days of training camp.

Now, it looks like something has changed. On a day when Sanders was supposed to handle the bulk of the reps, and right after Monken told the media that would be the case, Watson got the nod.

According to ESPN insider Daniel Oyefusi, Sanders had to settle for a handful of second-team reps instead.

Deshaun Watson might be the Browns' QB1

"Day 10 of Browns training camp is over. On a day when Shedeur Sanders was scheduled to practice with the starting offense, Deshaun Watson took every rep with the No. 1 unit," Oyefusi shared on X. "Sanders split the remaining reps with Dillon Gabriel."

Day 10 of Browns training camp is over.

On a day when Shedeur Sanders was scheduled to practice with the starting offense, Deshaun Watson took every rep with the No. 1 unit.

Sanders split the remaining reps with Dillon Gabriel.
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) August 8, 2026

Watching Gabriel join the mix isn't necessarily surprising. He's drawn rave reviews through training camp, and while he's gone mostly against backups and third-stringers, he's reportedly been dealing.

As for Sanders, he's reportedly made great strides in accuracy and footwork, though coach Monken still wants to see him make better decisions to avoid negative yardage, maintain better control in the huddle and improve his cadence.

Watson has had some up-and-down days in practice, but he bounced back this week after a dreadful start.

The Browns are off on Sunday, and coach Monken isn't scheduled to address the media again until Monday. There, he'll likely have an explanation as to why he shook up the schedule in the eleventh hour.

For now, it looks like Watson is pulling away in the QB1 race, and while they should both play in the preseason, this certainly doesn't look good for Sanders.

Ernesto Cova

Ernesto is a bilingual (English-Spanish) sports writer with over eight years of experience covering major leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Ernesto’s work focuses on providing insightful, up-to-date coverage of sports, blending his expertise in sports psychology with a passion for analyzing player performance, team dynamics, and trade developments across various sports leagues

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