Cleveland Browns fans hoping for clarity at the quarterback position during the early stages of training camp have instead been left with more questions than answers.
While most players tend to look sharp in the first few practices of camp, before pads go on and the physical toll of the season begins to show, the team’s signal-callers have stood out for the wrong reasons.
Both Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders have struggled to generate consistent positive impressions as the Browns work through their early sessions.
Watson, still working his way back from a pair of Achilles tendon surgeries and without a regular-season snap since October 2024, has been particularly turnover-prone. He has thrown six interceptions in 11-on-11 work across the first four practices, raising concerns about whether the expected rust can be shaken off in time.
The veteran has spoken about the fine points of timing and depth that still need refining, noting that a strong Browns defense is also making life difficult for the offense.
Sanders, the other half of the competition, has not seized the opportunity either. One of the primary critiques of his play last season centered on his tendency to hold the ball too long and struggle with quick decision-making. He finished the year with just seven touchdown passes against 10 interceptions and ranked dead last among 38 quarterbacks graded by Pro Football Focus.
The expectation entering camp was that an offseason of focused work would produce noticeable improvement. Instead, local radio reporter Justin Cooper offered a blunt assessment of Sanders’ early performances, stating simply, “He looks worse.”
That evaluation carries extra weight given the context surrounding the position. The Browns invested heavily this offseason in rebuilding the offensive line through free agency and upgrading the wide receiver group via the draft.
What they did not do was make a significant addition at quarterback beyond selecting sixth-rounder Taylen Green. The organization has chosen to stage a competition between a recovering Watson and a still-developing Sanders. Early returns suggest the job may ultimately go not to the player who elevates his game most dramatically, but to the one who manages to avoid costly mistakes more consistently.
Sanders himself has emphasized the process of mastering the new offensive scheme, explaining that comfort and production improve when he fully understands every detail of the playbook and can operate with complete information.
He continues to dedicate long hours to that preparation, viewing it as essential to becoming both a better quarterback and a stronger leader for the team.
It remains early in camp, and the arrival of full pads will change the evaluation. Yet the opening days have offered little reassurance that either quarterback is ready to lock down the starting role.
For a franchise that has poured resources into surrounding pieces, the lack of progress under center is emerging as the most pressing concern of the summer.
