Shedeur Sanders Entered As the Favorite and Now He's Fighting for His Job

The Cleveland Browns' quarterback room just got a lot more complicated, and Shedeur Sanders is learning the hard way that offseason favorites don't always stay in favor. The second-year signal caller walked in expecting to lock down the starting gig after developing what looked like a solid connection with new head coach Todd Monken. Then the Browns drafted another quarterback in 2026, and suddenly Sanders found himself in a two-man battle he didn't see coming.

Watson Makes His Move

Here's the brutal part: Deshaun Watson emerged as the early favorite to start for the Browns next season, according to reporting from Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot. Watson came out of the Browns' voluntary minicamp last week with an edge over Sanders, and sources tell cleveland.com he has the inside track to be named QB1. That's a massive shift from where everyone thought this competition would go.

With four quarterbacks on the roster, Cleveland is gearing up for a couple of busy months where they'll sort out QB1 and QB2 for the season. But the pressure is squarely on Sanders right now.

Time Is Running Out, and the Clock Just Started

Here's what Sanders has working for him: time. Coach Todd Monken hopes to declare his starter, or at least identify him, by the end of Browns minicamp on June 11. That gives Sanders roughly six weeks to close the gap and try to overtake the former three-time Pro Bowler. But once that mandatory minicamp rolls around, whoever gets the first-team reps is going to be the guy under center come September.

The message is clear: Sanders had the job to lose, and right now, he's losing it. What happens next will define his Browns future.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.