The biggest conversation heading into Cleveland Browns training camp is, who is going to be the starting quarterback in Week 1? It appears new head coach Todd Monken is committed to having a legitimate quarterback competition. The early speculation is that Deshaun Watson will be the unquestioned starter to begin the season.
That might not be the case, as Daryl Ruiter believes this competition is far from over right now.
“It appears they’re trying to keep the reps between Deshaun and Shedeur as equal as possible. I don’t get the impression that Todd Monken has his finger on the scales like Kevin Stefanski did last year with the quarterback competition. Joe Flacco ended up starting, and I don’t remember him taking a first-team reps during the first training camp practice. I do feel like this is more of a legitimate quarterback competition. I think Deshaun is in the lead because of his experience,” Ruiter said.
"It appears they're trying to keep the reps between Deshaun and Shedeur as equal as possible… I do feel like this is more of a legitimate QB competition. I think Deshaun is in the lead because of his experience."
📞@RuiterWrongFAN says the Browns QB competition seems to be far… pic.twitter.com/4SAMcFYXZr
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) May 29, 2026
This quarterback saga is unlikely to end anytime soon, with the Browns likely waiting until the end of the preseason to name a starting quarterback. The assumption is they want to see all their quarterbacks in action before naming a starter for Week 1.
As Ruiter mentioned, Watson probably has the edge right now because of his experience. Watson was a three-time Pro Bowl player before heading to Cleveland in 2022. He hasn’t been the same player since joining the Browns, but his overall experience does count for something. The 30-year-old does know how to run an offense, but his overall physical health is the biggest concern.
Sanders got a taste for the league last season after being taken by the Browns in the fifth round last year. He made eight appearances (seven starts) with the Browns in 2025. There were certainly some mistakes, with 10 interceptions, but Sanders showed flashes of being a legitimate starting option.
The expectation is that it’ll likely come down to Watson and Sanders, but Dillon Gabriel should still be in the mix. Gabriel probably doesn’t have as high an upside as Sanders, but could be a decent game-manager quarterback. The assumption is that Monken will give everyone a fair chance to show what they can do during camp.
At the end of the day, it might be best for Watson to be the Week 1 starter. He has the experience, and it’ll give Sanders and Gabriel more time to develop and learn. Watson will almost certainly not finish the year as the starter with his deal expiring soon.
The Browns will want to see what they have in these young quarterbacks at some point.
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