One of the most significant days of Cleveland Browns’ training camp so far came on Saturday, when Deshaun Watson was given the first-team practice reps after head coach Todd Monken said it was Shedeur Sanders’ turn to take those snaps. Many observers took that opportunity to claim that the quarterback competition was over, and there didn’t need to be an official announcement to tell anyone.
With more than a month until Week 1 of the 2026 season, and without a preseason game even played yet, any such declaration is obviously very premature. Head coach Todd Monken is unlikely to name Watson the starter after two excellent practices, in the same way he didn’t eliminate him after two terrible ones.
With that in mind, insider Tony Grossi revealed the “most important day” that could decide the Browns’ QB battle, and it is coming up next week when the Buffalo Bills are in Berea for a joint practice leading up to the teams’ preseason game.
“I think Watson is going to be the quarterback against the Bills on Aug. 20 for the joint practice, but I think Monken can easily justify it by manipulating the schedule so that it’s his day. I think that’s the intent, to have Watson compete against the Bills in the practice, and Shedeur competes in the game on Saturday. The Aug. 20 practice is the most important day of training camp. Whoever is with that first team is more than likely going to be the starter for the season,” Grossi said.
“I think Watson is going to be the QB against the Bills on August 20th for the joint practice,” – @TonyGrossi on where the QB battle might go in the next few weeks. https://t.co/x7VcWqFRGp pic.twitter.com/iETOUuJljf
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) August 10, 2026
It is looking more likely that Watson will earn the starting assignment for the preseason opener against the Chicago Bears this Saturday. The veteran has made “tremendous strides” during training camp, highlighted by a decrease in the concerning amount of interceptions he was throwing.
If the QB competition is still ongoing beyond that, Watson could run the first-team offense in the joint practice while Sanders gets his turn to start a game two days later. Practicing against another team has come to be seen as a more challenging workout for players as compared to a preseason game that quickly deteriorates into a contest between fringe bottom-of-the-roster players.
It could be argued that Watson needs as much game action as he can get, having not played in one since injuring his Achilles in 2024. But he is likely to get more high-intensity plays against the Bills’ first-string defense in the less structured setting.
There is also a chance that the Browns’ QB depth chart will be settled by then, but if not, it will be a very important day, indeed.
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