The QB1 battle in the Cleveland Browns camp, and especially Shedeur Sanders, has taken centre stage in media circles throughout this offseason, pushing former NFL QB Cam Newton to share his thoughts on the situation. Even now, who gets the starting job remains uncertain, but the media and fans have already begun assuming based on the reports coming in from training camp. 

Newton defended Shedeur Sanders from the slander he regularly faces, as he pointed out that people do it for clicks. Newton also believes that Shedeur ranks ahead of some of the NFL’s biggest names. 

“There will be no more Shedeur Sanders hate and bashing, bro, because somebody has to draw the line. There’s not a more polarizing player in the NFL than Shedeur Sanders… If you put Lamar Jackson [vs.] Shedeur Sanders, Joe Burrow [vs.] Shedeur Sanders, Josh Allen [vs.] Shedeur Sanders, there’s not a more polarizing player in the NFL. And let’s call it how we see it. Stop all the shenanigans. We’re not talking about talent here; we’re talking about whose name can move the needle, similar to Tom Brady.

“You put this person’s name up with anybody’s name in the NFL, and I guarantee you it’s going to attract attention. Jersey sales last year showed that… letterheads, newsletters, titles, front page, not another person,” Cam Newton said on his 4th&1 show on YouTube.

Shedeur Sanders started the training camp with more 1st team reps, but in the last few days, those duties have been given to veteran QB DeShaun Watson. The duo is battling it out for the starting QB role with not much between them yet. As HC Todd Monken recently suggested, they will decide who gets the starting QB job through their performance leading up to the 2026 season. 

Shedeur came last in the rankings published by The Athletic earlier on August 4. An unnamed NFL exec called him “inaccurate at all three levels,” adding that he was unsure whether Shedeur could become better and that there was a huge gap between Shedeur’s level and a competent QB’s level. 

“I’d sleep like a baby if I got to play him every week,” another anonymous DC said of Shedeur. 

Pushing back against The Athletic ranking Sanders dead last among NFL QBs, Cam argued that the QB belongs ahead of peers like Tua Tagovailoa, Jackson Dart, Michael Penix Jr., and J.J. McCarthy, noting whether statements from anonymous sources should hold credibility.

The former Colorado Buffaloes QB had a 3-4 record in the 7 games he started for the Cleveland Browns last season. He racked up 1,4000 passing yards and 7 passing TDs in his rookie season. 

On Day 7 of training camp, Shedeur Sanders completed 11 out of 16 attempted passes, for 1 interception and 2 touchdowns. While DeShaun Watson, who took all the first-team reps, threw 17-of-20 for 7 TDs with no picks, per ESPN Cleveland on X.

As the QB1 race enters its final stretch of preseason games, it’s been decided in the Browns camp that both competing QBs will each be getting a game to put forth their case before the regular season starts.