There are two Cleveland Browns quarterbacks in staunch competition for the job of starter next season, and the stakes are high for both. After all, for Shedeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson, it’s conceivable that the winner may be the starter for the foreseeable future if things go well, and that the loser’s career as an NFL starter could wind down quickly. Despite that, the two have been careful throughout the process to be respectful and friendly to each other.
On Wednesday, the second day of the Browns’ three-day minicamp at headquarters in Berea, that continued. Even as it has been clear that any reported lead in the proceedings held by Watson has been whittled away with impressive work and good performances by Sanders, both Watson and Sanders were certain to tip their caps to each other and dodge any divisive questions that might be pitched to them in the post-practice media scrum.
When Sanders was asked about Watson throwing with receivers in Florida (without Sanders), for example, he sensed immediately that the question was intended to cause tension in the QB room. Said Sanders: “I just think that was a question to try to start something, honestly.”
Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders in Tough Batle.
Indeed, the connection between Shedeur Sandereen Sanders and Watson long predates their time together with the Browns. Sanders’ father, of course, is Colorado coach and NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, so Watson came in familiar with his exploits. But he also got to know Deion Sanders Jr. while Watson was playing for Houston and Sanders Jr. was at SMU.
He explained: “I think from the time he got drafted, the relationships and conversations has been growing, even during the pre-draft. And I’ve known the Sanders family — I’ve known his brother all the way back when he was at SMU. Coach Chad Morris was the coach there. I used to go out there and hang out with the team and his brother was one of the players.
“So, me and his family got a good relationship and, you know, we always just try to pull for each other. So, we both have the opportunity to go out there and put out the best product for the team and let Monken and the organization choose who goes out there, and we’re going to support each other.”
Stage Set for Browns QB Room
The contours of the Browns’ QB race are simple enough to follow. Sanders was a big-name collegiate quarterback who shockingly fell to the fifth round in last year’s draft, and looked doomed to the bench until the team traded Joe Flacco and backup Dillon Gabriel flamed out. Watson, is a once-proud veteran who is playing on an Achilles tendon that has been twice surgically repaired.
Watson knows Browns backers are frustrated with him–he has played only a handful of games with Cleveland since coming over in a 2022 trade. But he’s trying not to think about that.
“I can’t control what the fans and how they, you know, approach me or approach any other person that walks out there,” Watson said. “At the end of the day, when I step in between the lines, I gotta lock in on the task at hand. And that’s just winning and being successful. So, my mentality is in between the lines – block out the good or the bad, whatever comes with it, and just go out there and execute and play at a high level and try my best to win the game for us.
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