In Cleveland, a franchise stands at a crossroads familiar to many cities that have long searched for a quarterback to call their own — the kind of player who can carry not just a team, but a community's hope. This week, the Browns will watch Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson each make their case under the Friday night lights of a preseason that carries the weight of a full season's meaning. The decision, when it comes, will be written first in practice reps and then in the starting lineup against New England — a quiet announcement that speaks louder than any press conference.
Sanders faces pivotal week to challenge Watson for Browns starting QB job
It's the perfect time for Sanders to show he deserves the job
Mark
Why does this week matter so much more than the one that just happened?
Mimi
Because Sanders hasn't had a real chance yet. Watson got to play with mostly the second team, but he still impressed. Now Sanders gets the starting role at home, with better receivers available. It's the first time they're truly on equal footing.
Mark
So Monken is saying the competition is still close?
Mimi
That's what he's saying, but you have to read between it. Watson answered every question Monken had. The fact that they're still alternating suggests Monken isn't fully convinced Sanders is ready, but he owes it to him to find out.
Mark
What happens if Watson gets booed?
Mimi
That's the test. Monken says mental toughness is the most important thing in a quarterback. Watson's been through a lot—the Achilles injury, the time away. If he can handle the noise and the doubt, that tells Monken something about his character.
Mark
What's Sanders' real weakness right now?
Mimi
Decision-making under pressure and operation—getting the team lined up, executing the calls cleanly. He's improved at reading defenses, but he still creates his own problems sometimes. He needs to be sharper.
Mark
Is there any chance both of them could stay?
Mimi
Not as starters. One of them will be the guy, and the other will be the backup. The season opener in Jacksonville is less than a month away. They need to know who they're going with.
Der Puls
- Watson's confident preseason debut against Chicago — 11-of-15, 98.2 rating, no turnovers — gave offensive coordinator Todd Monken the answer he needed, but not the only answer he's still seeking.
- Sanders gets the biggest stage of his young career Saturday against Buffalo, with a full first half and rookie weapons to prove his 'superpower' playmaking ability is ready for the NFL.
- The competition is so close that Monken refuses to tip his hand, carefully splitting practice reps across the week to ensure neither quarterback can claim the process was rigged against him.
- Watson faces a different kind of pressure at home — the memory of fans watching him weep on the field with a ruptured Achilles still lingers, and potential boos will test the mental toughness Monken prizes above all else.
- By next week, the mystery ends — whoever earns the bulk of first-team reps and starts the dress rehearsal against New England on August 27th will have won the job, even before a word is officially spoken.
In Cleveland, a franchise stands at a crossroads familiar to many cities that have long searched for a quarterback to call their own — the kind of player who can carry not just a team, but a community's hope. This week, the Browns will watch Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson each make their case under the Friday night lights of a preseason that carries the weight of a full season's meaning. The decision, when it comes, will be written first in practice reps and then in the starting lineup against New England — a quiet announcement that speaks louder than any press conference.
The Cleveland Browns are approaching a decision that will define their season, and by the time Saturday's game against Buffalo concludes, the organization will know internally who their starting quarterback is — even if the public announcement waits a little longer. The true signal will come the following week, written in practice rep distribution and confirmed when one man takes the field to start the preseason finale against New England.
Deshaun Watson made a compelling case in his preseason debut against Chicago. He was sharp, accurate, and decisive — completing 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards and posting a 98.2 rating across six possessions. He accounted for all ten of Cleveland's points in a lopsided loss, and offensive coordinator Todd Monken came away with the answer to his central question: can Watson still play winning football in this league? Monken said yes, emphatically and without reservation.
But the book isn't closed. This week belongs to Shedeur Sanders, and Monken insists the competition remains genuinely open. Sanders starts the Bills game and receives first-half reps, with rookie receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston potentially available as weapons. Monken has spoken admiringly of Sanders' 'superpower' — an elite playmaking instinct — and has watched the rookie's pocket movement and progression reading improve steadily. Against Chicago, Sanders flashed that ability with two sharp completions early, though a batted ball and an interception on an overthrow reminded everyone that refinement is still ongoing.
Watson, meanwhile, draws the third quarter against Buffalo's backups — and may draw boos from the home crowd, a test of the mental fortitude Monken considers the most essential quality in a quarterback. The last time Watson played at home, he left the field in tears with a ruptured Achilles. The emotional weight of that moment still hangs over Cleveland.
The week's practice schedule has been carefully balanced — Sanders on Monday and Wednesday, Watson on Tuesday's longer padded session — not to favor the rookie, Monken stressed, but to give both men a fair runway. Both still need to clean up their huddle communication and silent cadence work, mistakes that cost the Browns plays against Chicago. Watson carries momentum into the final evaluation. Sanders carries opportunity. By next week, one of them will carry the job.
The Cleveland Browns are closing in on a decision that will shape their season. By the time the Bills game ends on Saturday, the organization will know internally who their starting quarterback is—even if they don't announce it to the world right away. The choice will become obvious the following week, when rep distribution tells the story: whoever wins the job gets the bulk of first-team practice snaps and starts the dress rehearsal against New England on August 27th.
Deshaun Watson made a statement in his preseason debut against Chicago. He completed 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions, posting a 98.2 rating across six possessions. He was strip-sacked once, but that fell on rookie right tackle Austin Barber getting beaten badly, not on Watson being careless. He was confident, accurate, decisive—everything offensive coordinator Todd Monken needed to see. Watson accounted for all ten of the Browns' points in a 34-10 loss, a performance that answered the fundamental question Monken had posed: Can this man still play winning football in the NFL? The answer, Monken said, was a resounding yes. He was "100%" confident.
But Monken isn't ready to close the book. Not yet. Because this week belongs to Shedeur Sanders.
Sanders will start the Bills game and split reps with Watson during Thursday's joint practice. If Monken had already decided on Watson, could he really justify continuing to alternate the quarterbacks with the starters during this pivotal stretch? "I did feel going into the Bears game that it was relatively close in terms of both having an opportunity at the starting position," Monken said. "So it would be unfair to not go into the next game and allow Shedeur that opportunity." Both players have handled the competition well and competed at a high level. They deserve equal consideration.
Sanders will get the entire first half against Buffalo, a chance to showcase what Monken calls his "superpower"—elite playmaking ability. If the rookie receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston are available, Sanders will have weapons to work with, and the home crowd will be watching closely. Watson, meanwhile, gets the third quarter against mostly third and fourth-teamers. He may also face boos from fans, a test of the mental toughness Monken considers the most important trait in a quarterback. The last time Watson played at home, on October 20th, 2024 against Cincinnati, some fans cheered while he lay on the field in tears with a ruptured Achilles.
Monken has been impressed with Sanders' progress—his pocket movement, his ability to work through progressions. Against the Bears, Sanders started strong with a 24-yard pass to Gage Larvadain and a 35-yarder to Luke Floriea on third-and-13. But he also threw a batted pass and an interception on an overthrow to Malachi Corley. The problem is he was working with third and fourth-teamers, making it hard to assess his true development. "He's improved so much," Monken said. "There's some things he can improve on." The operation itself—getting in the huddle, getting lined up, getting the call—remains a work in progress for both quarterbacks.
The practice schedule this week is carefully balanced. Sanders gets starting reps on Monday and Wednesday; Watson gets Tuesday, which is a longer, padded session that will give him a few extra repetitions. They'll split the work against Buffalo on Thursday. It's not designed to favor Sanders, Monken emphasized. It's designed to give both men a fair chance to let their talent shine. "There wasn't really a concerted effort to get Sanders the bulk of the work this week," he said. "It's just you were going to have to decide who goes what days."
Both quarterbacks still need to clean up their huddle communication and silent cadence work on the road—issues that wasted plays against Chicago. A delay of game, a timeout, a missed cadence on a fumbled snap. These are the kinds of mistakes that get corrected when the starting eleven are together more consistently. For now, the evaluation continues. Watson has momentum. Sanders has opportunity. By next week, the Browns will know which one gets the job.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
I did feel going into the Bears 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 allow Shedeur that opportunity.— Todd Monken, Browns offensive coordinator
He's improved so much. There's some things he can improve on.— Todd Monken on Shedeur Sanders
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