Shedeur Sanders' path to reclaiming QB1 for the Cleveland Browns is getting rockier by the day. After finishing last season as the team's starter—a role he inherited only following Joe Flacco's departure and injuries to both Dillon Gabriel and Deshaun Watson—the young quarterback now faces renewed questions about his status.

The latest blow comes from ESPN's Jake Trotter, who has joined a growing chorus of doubters. Trotter's comments echo those of veteran Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot, who previously voiced support for Watson as the starter. "If you believe in Shedeur and think there's a path to him being your franchise quarterback, I understand taking him," Trotter said. "But if you don't feel that way and you take him anyway, you create this training camp circus where everyone is focused on the backup—which is exactly what happened last August."

Head coach Todd Monken has publicly insisted on an open competition, promising that OTAs, minicamp, and summer training will determine the starter based purely on performance. "No favoritism," he stated. Yet the persistent buzz around Watson suggests otherwise, leaving many to question whether the competition is truly fair.

This scenario feels like déjà vu for Browns fans. Last season, the team drafted Sanders only to see Flacco take the reins due to his experience and steady play. Now, with Watson's name continuously surfacing as the presumed starter, Trotter sees a troubling pattern. "I just don't understand why you'd go through the distraction of drafting Shedeur if you clearly don't think he's the guy," he said. "If you believed in him, you wouldn't be thinking about starting Deshaun Watson. The inconsistency is baffling."

For Sanders and the Browns, the quarterback room is becoming a pressure cooker. With training camp looming, all eyes will be on who takes the first snap—and whether the team's actions match its words about a true open competition.