The Cleveland Browns are holding another set of OTAs this week, which means another opportunity to speculate on what, exactly, might happen with the team’s quarterback position. You know the outlines, of course: Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are the front-runners, with Dillon Gabriel hoping to be traded or stick as a backup, and Taylen Green in the role of wildcard freakish athlete. It’s Watson vs. Sanders essentially for the starting role in 2026, with multiple reports suggesting that Watson has an early lead in the race.
After Wednesday’s practice, cleverly known as OTA5 (it’s the fifth OTA), the Browns met with the media, except this time, it was the coordinators facing the firing line of questions. That put the focus on Travis Switzer, the offensive coordinator who came to Cleveland with Todd Monken from Baltimore, where he had been the run game coordinator.
Monken has had his fill, perhaps, of questions about a quarterback battle that he is in the process of overseeing, and left it to Swtizer. But Switzer had good things to say about the way Sanders has grown in recent weeks, even as Watson continues to have the air of the leader for the position.
Shedeur Sanders ‘Progress Has Been Impressive’
Speaking after the Browns wrapped the OTA for Wednesday, Switzer was asked about Sanders, the second-year man who finished the final seven games of 2025 as the team’s starter, as Watson recovered from his second Achilles tendon surgery.
“I’ll only speak to what I’ve seen, I wasn’t here last year,” Switzer said. “I have only seen him over the past couple of weeks. His progress has been impressive. Just, his ability to move through progressions. His feet are getting more urgent and he is ready to throw more consistently. We can continue to grow there, but his progress has been impressive.”
Shedeur Sanders Has Clear Problem to Fix
And that’s been one of the criticisms of Sanders going back to his time at Colorado. While he is a crafty QB who can make plays while under pressure or on the run (which was often the case in 2025 behind a dreadful offensive line), he does not always have the patience and discipline to stand strong and make his reads without breaking the play.
As his NFL.com scouting report noted last year, before he plummeted in the draft to the fifth round: “Throwing off-platform or trying to do more than his arm talent allows is ill-advised. He’s tough and willing to take the hit to complete the throw once he’s locked into his target. Sanders is pocket mobile and finds clean alternate launch points, but he often creates pressure and sacks with undisciplined pocket drops.”
Browns ‘Excited’ by Both QBs
The Browns obviously want him to clean that up before he gets a chance to get back on the field as a starter. Even if it does, it might not mean he will overtake Watson as QB1, at least not out of the gate.
Switzer said both quarterbacks have shown some progress already.
He added: “I think that both of those guys and al of our guys, really, are progressing very well. Very pleased with what we’ve seen in the growth. A lot of it is getting more comfortable in the system, more comfortable as we move on. But their progression just in the short time that we’ve been so far, is very encouraging and we’re excited about that.”
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