Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson QB1 Battle Updated by Browns' Todd Monken, NFL Insider

Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken revealed that the battle between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson for the team's starting quarterback job likely won't be decided after mandatory minicamp.

"They've both played well enough to earn the right to compete to start," Monken said Tuesday, per ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi.

The top spot on Cleveland's quarterback depth chart is expected to still be up in the air once preseason game action starts, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Fowler previously revealed that he felt Watson had the "leg up" over Sanders in the positional battle due to his experience.

Watson has 72 career starts under his belt, but struggled to exceed or even meet expectations once his tenure with the Browns started in 2022 before he was sidelined for the entire 2025 season after undergoing multiple surgeries on his right Achilles tendon.

Sanders appeared in eight games, including seven starts, for Cleveland last year as a rookie. He completed 56.6 percent of his passes for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns to go along with 10 interceptions.

The Browns' offense should look vastly different in 2026 under Monken, who is entering his first season as head coach after spending the past three years as offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens.

Cleveland's mandatory minicamp will wrap up on Thursday.