Deshaun Watson will get the first crack at making his case in the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback competition in the preseason and the decision may carry far more weight than the team is letting on.
Watson will start the preseason opener against the Chicago Bears, while Shedeur Sanders will open the following week against the Buffalo Bills. Head coach Todd Monken has stressed that the competition remains open and both quarterbacks will receive an extended opportunity to prove themselves.
On the surface, the plan gives Watson and Sanders comparable auditions. However, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com believes the order offers a strong indication of where the competition currently stands.
“I think this is massively significant. It means to me that he has the edge in the competition right now. They’re not calling it that, but that’s what I think it is,” Cabot said. “I think right now he has the inside track to win the starting job.”
Watson has not officially been named QB1 and he still needs to show he can effectivley move the football in a live-game situation. But as Cabot sees it, it is now Watson’s job to lose.
“This says something,” Cabot said. “I think this says, ‘This is my No. 1 guy right now. He’s getting this start.’”
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Has Gained Momentum
For close observers, the competition appears to have been trending in Watson’s direction. The most notable hint came during an August 8 practice when Watson took every first-team rep despite it initially being scheduled as Sanders’ day with the starters. It marked the first significant departure from the alternating rotation the team had used.
Sanders was not rattled by the change. He said the coaching staff communicated the plan to the quarterbacks and defended Monken against criticism over how the situation was handled.
“I don’t think with the coaches that we have that you ever wonder,” Sanders said. “I think whatever is said is direct. We were informed and everything the right way, so it was never a miscommunication between us.”
Monken has maintained that the competition remains open and no final decision has been made. Sanders will play in the second half against the Bears before getting his own start against the Bills. Another critical checkpoint will come during the teams’ joint practice a few days ahead of their preseason clash. It could carry as much weight as either preseason game in determining Cleveland’s Week 1 starter.
Shedeur Sanders Focused on Improvement
GettyShedeur Sanders #2 of the Cleveland Browns throws a pass during the Cleveland Browns OTA Offseason Workouts
Sanders showed flashes after taking over as Cleveland’s starter late in his rookie season, but his uneven play left plenty of room for growth. He went 3-4 across seven starts, completing 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Sanders has spent training camp learning Monken’s offense and working to improve his decision-making, timing and command of the huddle.
“I’d say every area I try to improve,” Sanders said. “It’s like a chart within myself and saying, ‘Okay, if I’ve got 10 different areas to improve, let’s improve each area every day until it gets to max threshold.’ Max threshold, that’s going to take some time, a couple of years, but I think I’m improving in every area overall.”
The Browns open the regular season on September 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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