The Cleveland Browns opened minicamp Tuesday with a quarterback competition already brewing, and the early rotations told part of the story.
Deshaun Watson took first-team reps through most of the drills, but head coach Todd Monken made it clear the depth chart isn’t locked in. NFL reporter Zac Jackson suggested Monken plans to give Shedeur Sanders the most reps overall, even if those snaps get distributed differently depending on the drill or situation.
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Through about 90 minutes of work, Watson and Sanders emerged as the top two options. Dillon Gabriel worked as the third quarterback in the rotation. Monken noted that the focus right now is teaching the system and installing the offense rather than settling on a pecking order.
Sanders seems to be approaching the competition with a specific strategy. He explained to reporters that he’s been leaning on Watson and others in the locker room to gain different perspectives and sharpen his understanding of the offense.
“Deshaun has accomplished a lot in his career, obviously, so when I have questions about certain things, I ask him,” Sanders said. “And I just like hearing his perspective on problems that I could have or the way I think about things — just hearing the way he thinks of things and hearing the way Dillon thinks of things, hearing the way Coach [Monken] thinks of things. All those things, you just gain other people’s perspective to form your own thought and what you want to do.”
#Browns Shedeur Sanders in his post-practice press conference. He says he’s bulletproof and grateful pic.twitter.com/VNcZZLn2b3
The relationship between Watson and Sanders shifted from last season. Watson served as the veteran presence while Sanders absorbed everything he could. That dynamic isn’t as simple anymore.
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Watson is trying to revive a career that stalled in Cleveland, while Sanders is working to carve out his own role. Still, Sanders made it clear the bond between them remains strong.
Cleveland drafted Gabriel in the third round before taking Sanders 50 picks later in the fifth. Watson is in the final year of his fully guaranteed $230 million contract, a deal that produced just 19 starts over four seasons.
The numbers haven’t matched the investment, and the Browns are clearly exploring other options under center.