The Cleveland Browns’ quarterback situation is one of the most complicated in the NFL as they seek to finally find some stability at the position. Shedeur Sanders is seeking to show the franchise that he’s taken a step as he enters his sophomore season while Deshaun Watson is finally healthy enough to truly compete for the No. 1 job.
Cleveland’s first preseason game allowed both hopefuls their chance to shine against the Chicago Bears, and the results of the tune-up may go a long way in deciding who wins this competition.
How Deshaun Watson played in Browns’ preseason opener
Watson was steady, completing 11 of his 15 passes for 126 yards. He did not throw a touchdown and also feel victim to a strip sack. Watson scrambled three times for four yards and led the Browns to all 10 of their points scored in the lopsided loss.
How Shedeur Sanders played in the Browns’ preseason opener
Sanders was less impressive, converting on just 6 of 11 throws for 79 yards. He also had a very bad interception and could not do much of anything leading the offense.
Dillon Gabriel, the third option for the Browns under center, was 5-of-8 for 23 yards and also had an ugly interception.
What Browns coach Todd Monken said about the QB race
Monken was clear that the competition would continue this week as the Buffalo Bills are in for joint practices before a preseason game on Saturday night.
“Again, I did feel going into last game that it was relatively close in terms of both having an opportunity at the starting position, so it would be unfair to not go into the next game and give Shedeur that same opportunity,” Monken said. “Albeit a different team, certainly at home. There’s no guarantee the same players will be playing in this game, but it’s the closest you have, and we owe it to both players who have handled it well and competed at a high level.”
So how close is this competition, really?
Reading the tea leaves here, it certainly feels like Sanders has one more chance during an actual game to sway the narrative. Watson obviously performed better in the first showcase and it’s totally understandable for Cleveland to want to get some sort of return on that investment. At the same time, Sanders has shown promise and the organization will have to weigh all things present and future when making a call.
On Monday’s Get Up, NFL analyst Dan Orlvosky shared his take that the battle isn’t all that competitive rright now.
“After preseason Week 1, it’s not close,” he said.
That seems fair. This story isn’t over but the main character seems to be establishing themself. Of course, given how many times the Browns quarterback job has changed hands in recent years, there’s reason to think this could be a tug of war all season long.
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