Sanders Fights for Browns' Starting QB Spot

BEREA, Ohio — Shedeur Sanders is taking part in the Cleveland Browns’ voluntary veteran minicamp while pushing for the team’s starting quarterback job. The second-year passer is working in a shared setup that has him splitting first-team repetitions with Deshaun Watson, a notable change in how Cleveland is handling its quarterback room heading into the upcoming season.

Sanders’ role has grown after he started seven games last season. He finished the 2025 season with a 3-4 record as a starter, and those appearances included wins against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals. During the current minicamp, the Browns’ practice rotation has placed him directly alongside Watson in the top unit, underscoring that the competition is active rather than symbolic.

The quarterback mix also includes Dillon Gabriel, a 2025 third-round pick who started six games as a rookie. Watson is returning from an Achilles tear sustained in 2024, adding another variable to how Cleveland allocates practice time and evaluates readiness. With three quarterbacks receiving meaningful attention, the Browns are using the spring program to test command, consistency, and fit within the new structure.

Sanders entered the league as the 144th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. He previously wore No. 12 but has switched back to his career No. 2 jersey. While jersey numbers do not determine depth charts, the change coincides with a period in which Sanders is trying to establish himself as more than a spot starter after last season’s seven-game run.

Head coach Todd Monken, who previously served as the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator, has described a different atmosphere around the team and has stressed flexibility in how quarterback repetitions are handled. Monken said Sanders and the other quarterbacks showed command during practice, framing the spring work as an evaluation of operational control as much as physical execution.

The relationship between Monken and Sanders is also developing. Sanders’ offseason work and a recent gift were cited as signs of a positive environment for his growth as he enters his second year. Even so, the Browns have not named a starter, and the distribution of first-team snaps in a voluntary setting does not guarantee how the competition will be resolved later in the offseason.