BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns enter training camp with an all-too-familiar question hovering over the franchise. What is Cleveland doing at the quarterback position?
For the second straight year, the Browns will hold an open competition for QB1 during their camp. This season, first-year head coach Todd Monken will oversee the battle, which has centered around nine-year veteran Deshaun Watson and second-year player Shedeur Sanders .
The two passers split first-team reps throughout the spring practices. They impressed Monken to the point he declared he had two starting-caliber quarterbacks, but the ex- Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator held off on naming his QB1 before seeing both players in padded practices and possibly even preseason games this summer.
Cleveland's quarterback questions don't end at who will start, though. The crowded room also includes Dillon Gabriel , a 2025 third-round pick who made six starts as a rookie, and Taylen Green , a sixth-round pick in April's draft.
Cleveland faced a similar conundrum last year, entering training camp with four healthy passers until Kenny Pickett was traded ahead of the roster cutdown deadline . Here is where each quarterback stands as training camp opens Wednesday: Deshaun Watson | Age: 30 Stat to know: Watson's 33.1 Total QBR since he made his Cleveland debut would rank last among qualifying quarterbacks if he had enough starts to qualify.
Once one of the brightest stars in the league, Watson's career is now at a sort of crossroads . Beset by suspension and injuries, he has played in only 19 games since the Browns acquired him for three first-round picks and gave him a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract in March 2022.
His latest ailment -- a torn Achilles tendon that required a pair of surgeries -- sidelined him for the 2025 season. When he has been on the field in a Browns uniform, Watson hasn't been able to recapture his former Pro Bowl form; in those 19 games played (9-10 record), Watson threw just 19 touchdowns.
Watson is now healthy and has expressed excitement to be paired with an offensive-minded head coach who has had success with mobile quarterbacks. Browns coaches praised Watson's form and physical abilities during the spring, but the next test will be carrying it over into games, where he has failed to perform with consistency in recent years.
"Deshaun's athleticism shows up," Monken said in May. "Obviously he's had that, but he's had injuries that have set him back.
I wouldn't say it's a surprise, but it's exciting to see -- it's a weapon for him. It's one of his superpowers, his athleticism." Shedeur Sanders | Age: 24 Stat to know: Sanders had an average time to throw of 3.24 seconds, the longest of 38 quarterbacks who made at least six starts in 2025.
Sanders joined Cleveland last season under a microscope that belied his fifth-round draft status. His fall from a projected first-round pick to a Day 3 selection only added to the outsized attention and scrutiny.
And it heightened even further as Sanders, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, took zero first-team reps in camp and opened the 2025 regular season as the inactive, emergency quarterback on game days. Sanders, though, worked his way up the depth chart and made his debut in Week 11, when he was thrust into action in the second half against the Ravens.
Though his first taste of NFL action was a struggle -- 4-of-16 for 47 yards and one interception -- Sanders bounced back the following week and got a win in his first start against the Las Vegas Raiders . Sanders remained QB1 for the final seven games of the season, and his two-month run as the Browns' starter was an up-and-down affair; he made big plays with his arm and legs but also committed rookie mistakes, namely holding on to the ball too long and turning it over.
He finished with a 3-4 record, including wins against the division rival Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals in the final two games. Coaches lauded Sanders' growth during the offseason workout program, particularly his grasp of Monken's offense and ability to get through his progressions more quickly.
However, noncontact practices don't compare to live pass rushes that require snap decisions. Sanders will have to find a balance between playing in structure and unlocking his playmaking skills.
"I think he's being more decisive," Monken said in June. "Now, it's easy to say we're not in pads.
It just feels like he's making quicker decisions