Yet another year down the line, and yet again, the Cleveland Browns are asking the same question: Who could be the QB1? The quarterback race in Berea seems to have no end as Shedeur Sanders reportedly caught up with the veteran Deshaun Watson. But only a month before the training camp on July 28th, reports around the fifth-rounder’s trade are not ceasing.

“There are talks, ongoing calls about the availability of Shedeur Sanders,” ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Rizzo opined in a recent episode. “The Browns, for whatever reason, don’t think he’s the guy.

“That’s my opinion and I’m sure they’ll say, ‘What are you talking about? He’s in a quarterback battle.’ But I’m going to say right now for the record, I don’t think the four quarterbacks are going to camp on July 28. I don’t. Nothing is imminent. But the calls are being made. And I think it’s probably in best interest of both parties here.”

Sanders is the only one who kind of successfully treaded the water for the Browns last year and has been the heavy favorite to start over veteran Deshaun Watson. Yet, while the Browns have not confirmed or denied any such calls, news about his trades is not simmering. But it’s not the worst idea either.

Last season, the then-head coach Kevin Stefanski prioritized fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel over Sanders. Then, they at least had a good backup to fall on as Gabriel went under concussion protocol. However, if Sanders does leave for another city, new head coach Todd Monken will be left with Watson and Gabriel — both have not shown the best output during the minicamps and OTAs.

Watson completed 90 of his 133 passes, scored 13 touchdowns, and faced three interceptions. Gabriel, who is clearly the third string this season, went 19-for-32 with two TDs and four interceptions. Sanders, meanwhile, has been making a name for himself.

The young quarterback completed 79 out of 113 passes, made five touchdowns, and had three interceptions. If the trade does happen, he could use these skills with a team better suited to him. Whether these numbers give Sanders a starting job in Berea to begin this season or not, it is certainly bringing other teams’ attention to him.

According to Sportsnaut, the Arizona Cardinals seem to have one of the worst quarterback rooms. If they bring Sanders over, he can start the games, with Carson Beck as the immediate backup. He can also get into the New York Jets. Their starting quarterback, Geno Smith, has no reliable backup on the roster. And Sanders could be an interesting option for the Jets. Monken, meanwhile, is stuck between two quarterbacks with potential.

The Athletic’s Zac Jackson highlighted that Watson’s OTA performance was full of inconsistencies, inaccuracies, and bad decisions. He threw into the traffic quite often. It suggested that things won’t work well with Watson as the starting quarterback for the Browns. 

Chad Johnson gave him six weeks to prove himself. It’s worth noting that Watson has played only 19 games over the last four seasons. He’s also been riddled with injuries and legal troubles. But he did claim that he’d work hard to put out the best product on the field. 

On the other hand, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler further pointed out that Sander has bridged the gap against Watson during the OTAs and minicamps. And if Watson can’t maintain a strong stance in the first few weeks, Sanders will come forth as the team’s starting quarterback. But some reports suggest that Sanders has still not worked on his speed.

“He has a hesitation that’s ingrained in him,” former NFL scout Daniel Kelly recently claimed about Sanders. “I wrote about it in his pre-draft scouting report. The NFL is too fast for him.” 

Although Sanders impressed everyone with his arm strength, accuracy, and good decisions under pressure last season behind a weak o-line, he needs to make throws quickly to avoid getting under pressure to begin with. The Browns have maintained that their quarterback competition remains completely open. With mandatory camp coming up on July 28, 2026, all eyes will be locked on the quarterback room.