After Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders threw three interceptions in a blowout loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 15 last season, veteran wide receiver Jerry Jeudy backed his rookie QB, saying, “one game don’t define who you are” and telling Shedeur to “keep the main thing the main thing.”

Cut to July 2026, and Jerry Jeudy was on TikTok recently when a question reportedly popped up: “Who [you] want [your] starting QB to be.” Jeudy didn’t use any words, just held up four fingers, referencing Deshaun Watson’s jersey number, and designating him as the man under center.

However, after ESPN Cleveland and multiple other portals posted that clip on X, Jeudy even reposted it in an attempt to backtrack.

“😭 Y’all cut the clip perfectly for that narrative,” he wrote on X. “Y’all can never get in between this s*** lol.”

As for Shedeur, under new head coach Todd Monken, he has spent the offseason battling for the QB1 spot with Deshaun Watson. To his credit, Sanders has even impressed all the coaches, with Monken saying he’s “more decisive.” The two quarterbacks have been in such lockstep that Monken couldn’t pick a starter through the minicamps and OTAs. And even with the clear competition, the two quarterbacks have actually worked together, with Sanders noting that they’re “both trying to be the best version” of themselves.

Watson’s history with Cleveland, meanwhile, is messy. When he suffered the Achilles injury in 2024, fans cheered. The Browns had handed him a $230M deal in 2022, but only got 19 starts from him in return across the last four seasons. This is the last year of his contract where the Browns can actually get something out of that investment, and analysts now believe Watson’s NFL experience could edge Shedeur out of the race.

“I would be surprised [If Shedeur won the job],” ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Grossi said recently. “I don’t think at this stage Watson is going to come back to the pack. Although the gap was closed at the end of spring ball, I think now that we get into more live action, second week of practice, they are going to determine that Watson is the best right now.”

Meanwhile, Shedeur Sanders has not acted like a player waiting for permission. In a recent video on his YouTube channel, he said he wants to show his “best form this year to the world,” and that the system he has right now will take him where he needs to go.

Sanders still has the training camp – opening on 31st July at the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus – to back his claim with action. While Jerry Jeudy may have shown his hand, Shedeur has until August 12 to prove himself with practice reps before anything gets locked in.