The first week of the 2026 training camp is officially in the books, but the Cleveland Browns still have a big question mark on their quarterback for the season. While Deshaun Watson continues to work his way back from a long-term injury layoff, Shedeur Sanders has also shown some flaws, with one Browns beat reporter offering a less-than-encouraging assessment of the rookie’s early camp performance.

Following the fourth day of camp, Tony Rizzo asked Justin Cooper whether Sanders looks good in getting rid of the ball. Cooper’s assessment, however, was brutal as the reporter bluntly said, “No, he looks worse.”

Throughout his football career, Shedeur Sanders has faced scrutiny over his struggles in getting rid of the football. It was evident both in college and during his rookie NFL season with the Browns. Coming out of Colorado, his average time to throw was 2.96 seconds, well above the FBS average of 2.76 seconds, as he ranked 110th in the FBS.

Once he became Cleveland’s starting quarterback in the second half of the 2025 season, those issues remained a talking point. According to the Next Gen Stats, Shedeur Sanders’ average Time to Throw for the 2025 regular season was 3.23 seconds. The quarterback started in 7 games, went 3-4, and recorded 1,400 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. During the stretch, he also took 23 sacks.

Fast forward to the 2026 offseason, and Sanders is competing for the starting quarterback role against Deshaun Watson. While it’s true that he might start at some point this season, Cooper’s assessment of his throwing time could be a major concern for Todd Monken. At the same time, however, the second-year signal-caller has managed to turn heads in the first four practices of training camp.

Per reports, Shedeur Sanders completed 13-of-22 passes with four touchdowns and just one interception on the fourth day of camp. In total, across four practices, Sanders completed 70.3% of his passes with four touchdowns and an interception. Watson, on the other hand, was 12-of-19 for three touchdowns and 3 interceptions on day four, while completing 64.4% of his passes in the first four practices.

The Browns will open their preseason against the Chicago Bears in a couple of weeks. Whether Monken names his starting quarterback before that game or waits until the preseason concludes remains to be seen. For now, the competition appears set to continue as both contenders look to strengthen their case.