Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders is set to take the next step in his competition for the starting job after an encouraging opening day of training camp.
On Thursday, the second-year signal-caller will work with the first-team offense for the first time, swapping roles with Deshaun Watson as the team continues to rotate its top two quarterbacks.
Browns head coach Todd Monken revealed the news after practice on Wednesday.
Watson took the majority of the snaps with the starters during Wednesday’s practice while Sanders operated with the second unit on a separate field.
The approach, Monken explained, allows the coaching staff to maximize repetitions for both players and help each quarterback settle into the offense more quickly. He expressed satisfaction with the depth the Browns have developed on that side of the ball.
Sanders made the most of his limited opportunities on Day 1. Working primarily with the backups, he completed 16 of 19 passes without throwing an interception, according to an unofficial tracker from ESPN Cleveland. Watson, by contrast, finished 12 of 22 and was picked off on consecutive attempts by defensive backs Denzel Ward and Damarri Mathis.
One of Sanders’ early highlights came on a deep completion to rookie wide receiver KC Concepcion. Fellow rookie Denzel Boston also spent time working with Sanders, giving the young quarterback a chance to begin building chemistry with two pass-catchers expected to contribute meaningfully this season.
Thursday will present a stiffer challenge. Sanders will operate behind the starting offensive line and throw to weapons such as Jerry Jeudy and Harold Fannin Jr. while facing the Browns’ first-team defense, widely regarded as the strongest unit on the roster.
Sanders appeared in eight games as a rookie last season, starting seven of them. He guided the Browns to a 3-4 record in those contests, completing 56.6 percent of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also contributed 169 rushing yards and one score on the ground.
Monken has made clear that the competition is far from decided. The Browns plan to keep the battle open through the preseason, which begins August 15 against the Chicago Bears.
Cleveland will host the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 22 and also participate in a joint practice with Buffalo beforehand. Monken indicated that a formal decision on the starter is unlikely before the week of the regular-season opener, noting that the early weeks of training camp installs, the preseason games and the joint work with the Bills will provide the clearest picture of where each quarterback stands.
He added that he is also eager to evaluate the other quarterbacks on the roster, including Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green.
While the coaching staff is not prepared to name a winner anytime soon, Monken acknowledged that the distribution of practice snaps could shift if one player begins to pull ahead.
For now, the alternating approach continues, giving Sanders his first extended look with the starters after a promising start to camp.
