The early Browns quarterback picture is shifting after minicamp, and shedeur sanders is now facing a tougher climb. Deshaun Watson emerged from the week’s practices as the favorite to open the season as the team’s starter, even though both quarterbacks took first-team reps.
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland. com said Watson finished minicamp with more reps alongside the starters. The Browns have not made any public announcement about the depth chart, but the internal direction appears to be taking shape behind the scenes in the team’s ongoing offseason work.
Watson gains the edge after minicamp
Watson’s case rests on experience and familiarity, two traits that appear to matter in a competition still taking shape. He did not play at all in 2025 after tearing his Achilles, but the Browns are weighing his background more heavily than the limited runway facing the younger quarterbacks in the room.
The team is installing a new offense under head coach Todd Monken, and Watson has a longer history of learning different schemes during his career. The Browns’ offense is also described as young, and that gives added value to a quarterback who can line up teammates correctly and help settle the operation.
Shedeur Sanders still has a path
shedeur sanders did get first-team work during minicamp, which keeps the battle open. But the current read is that he will need a strong run over the next several weeks to make the depth chart movement he wants.
There are about six weeks left in the offseason program, and that leaves room for a change in momentum. Still, the assessment is blunt: Sanders will need to impress the coaching staff sharply to move to the top of the chart before training camp opens.
What the Browns are watching next
The next stretch will be about reps, timing, and how quickly the offense comes together under Monken. With no public depth chart announcement yet, the Browns are leaving room for competition while privately sorting out the pecking order.
For now, the clearest sign is that Watson has the inside track. shedeur sanders remains in the conversation, but the path to QB1 just got narrower as the Browns moved through minicamp and started to build their plan for Week 1.
