Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson are competing for the same job, but the Cleveland Browns quarterbacks are not allowing the battle to damage their relationship.
Sanders made it clear that he has no ill will toward Watson as the two prepare to compete for Cleveland’s starting job in training camp. Sanders provided some insight into their relationship while speaking at his youth football camp in Cleveland, just days after he and Watson held joint passing sessions in Florida with some of the Browns’ top offensive weapons.
“I would say it’s the same thing that we’ve been saying from Day 1,” Sanders said. “We’re both trying to be the best version of ourselves we could be. So we’re not going to let anything get in between of that. So it’s a level of respect that we all in the quarterback room have for each other.
“And we’re not really emotional when it comes to things that we can’t control. We mainly focus on and thrive on getting better in the work every day. So if I like something he’s doing, I ask. If he likes something I do, then (he) asks. It’s conversation and that’s what’s most effective.”
Shedeur Sanders Embracing Leadership Role With Browns
Sanders has become more comfortable speaking up and taking on a leadership role entering his second NFL season. But he also knows that respect cannot be demanded and he’ll have to earn it with production, consistency and the relationships built inside the locker room.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a hard task at all,” he said. “It’s just conversation. But I would say it’s just a different space that we’re all in. As a team, as individuals, we all feel more confident in ourselves and that’s kind of what we thrive on. So it’s kind of like understanding what that togetherness and really understand the dynamic of the league.
“You’ve got to earn the respect of your teammates and everything. You just can’t come in and dictate. That’s not a form of respect in the locker room and we understand that. So it just took time and a lot of relationships and to keep players to be able to get on the same page and be able to do it and it’d be fun. And it doesn’t feel forced.”
Shedeur Sanders Keeps Browns Quarterback Competition Alive
GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Sanders gave himself a legitimate opportunity to win the starting job with the progress he made during Cleveland’s offseason workouts. He received positive reviews throughout minicamp and closed the gap on Watson before the Browns broke for the summer. The competition is alive heading into training camp, where both quarterbacks will be evaluated in pads and preseason action.
Sanders went 3-4 across seven starts as a rookie, completing 56.6% of his passes for roughly 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He flashed playmaking ability but also showed he had significant room to grow. Sanders believes that growth has reached every part of his routine.
“I would say overall, everything I improved. I would say the way I sleep, the way I breathe, the way I drink water, the way I do everything in my life I improved,” Sanders said. “So everything improved.”
The next step will be proving those gains can carry over once the competition becomes more demanding in training camp.
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