Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is not treating the break before training camp like a vacation.
Watson posted a new video on Instagram this week showing him working out at the Browns facility in Berea, pairing the footage with a direct four-word caption: “No shortcuts. Just work!”
The post comes at a pivotal moment for Watson, who is locked in a competition with second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders for the starting job under new head coach Todd Monken. Watson is entering the final year of his fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract and is looking to make one last impression in Cleveland after the blockbuster 2022 trade that brought him from the Houston Texans.
Watson has drawn praise for his approach to the offseason, and some believe it’ll impact Cleveland’s decision-making.
“When they get back to camp, I do believe it’s going to be a robust competition between Deshaun and Shedeur,” Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot said on 92.3 The Fan. “I thought it was very significant Deshaun came back up here to throw, to train, to show this football team and coaching staff he means business here.”
Deshaun Watson Facing Final Chance With Browns
The stakes for Watson could not be higher. He has not played in a game since October 2024, when he suffered the first of two Achilles tendon injuries that wiped out his entire 2025 season. In three years with the Browns, Watson has made just 19 starts, completing 61.2% of his passes for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Monken said at the end of the offseason program that he was not ready to name a starter, noting that both Watson and Sanders had shown the ability to play winning football. Sanders made seven starts as a rookie last season and has drawn praise for his improvement in the new offense.
With his contract expiring after the coming season and the Browns’ long-term quarterback plans unsettled, Watson’s summer workouts represent his final opportunity to prove the trade that shook the NFL four years ago was not a total loss.
It also could be his last chance to show the rest of the league that he still has something left. At 30 years old, Watson is young enough to extend his NFL career, but he may have to do it elsewhere as a veteran backup, bridge starter or reclamation project if his time in Cleveland ends without a turnaround.
Shedeur Sanders Has Made His Own Strides in Browns QB Competition
Sanders, a fifth-round pick in 2025, spent the early part of the offseason in Cleveland working out at the team facility, a decision that drew praise from ownership on down. General manager Andrew Berry, who called Sanders a “work in progress” the day after the season ended, described his growth through the spring as phenomenal.
Monken has pointed to Sanders’ footwork and processing speed as the biggest areas of improvement.
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“It just feels like he’s making quicker decisions,” Monken told reporters after minicamp. “The ball’s coming out of his hands.”
Sanders eventually earned a shot as a rookie, climbing the depth chart and going 3-4 in seven starts while completing 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The numbers were uneven, but Sanders flashed playmaking ability, highlighted by a 364-yard, four-touchdown performance against the Tennessee Titans in Week 14.
Watson is expected to host a passing camp for offensive teammates in South Florida in mid-July. Sanders has said he plans to attend rather than hold a separate session of his own.
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