The Cleveland Browns will open training camp on July 29, and, unsurprisingly, the spotlight remains on the quarterback battle between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders. It’s fair to assume there’s already plenty of intrigue surrounding who will start in Week 1 of the 2026 season. Sanders, however, recently pushed back on that narrative and made it clear that he’s focused on a team-first approach.

“I would say it’s the same thing that we’ve been saying from Day 1,” Sanders said on his upcoming competition with Watson. “We’re both trying to be the best version of ourselves we could be. So we’re not going to let anything get in between of that. So it’s a level of respect that we all in the quarterback room have for each other.

“And we’re not really emotional when it comes to things that we can’t control. We mainly focus on and thrive on getting better in the work every day. So if I like something he’s doing, I ask. If he likes something I do, then (he) asks. It’s conversation, and that’s what’s most effective.”

The second-year quarterback’s comments align with the recent events. Sanders and Watson recently hosted a joint passing camp in Florida ahead of the training camp. The camp also featured the Browns’ players, including Jerry Jeudy, Isaiah Bond, Cedric Tillman, K.C. Conception, Denzel Boston, Jamari Thrash, and Dylan Sampson.

So, it’s reasonable to expect that Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson will have a good working relationship in training camp, regardless of who ultimately wins the starting job. Earlier this offseason, first-year head coach Todd Monken made it clear that he wanted to have his starting quarterback identified before the start of camp. That, however, never materialized, and the competition is now set to continue into training camp.

Still, throughout the offseason, Watson maintained a firm edge over Sanders. After missing the 2025 season and entering the final year of his deal, Watson was expected to win the QB1 job. That, however, changed last month when Mary Kay Cabot reported that Shedeur Sanders has impressed the coaching staff and is now a strong contender to start come Week 1.

“It appeared for much of the offseason program that Deshaun Watson had the edge over Sanders based on his superior athleticism and experience,” Cabot said. “Sanders seemed to have narrowed the gap the past couple of weeks with his grasp of the playbook and increased efficiency in practice.”

There’s no denying that Watson appears to have a better grasp of Monken’s system, especially considering the head coach has seen the veteran up close from his time as the Baltimore Ravens‘ offensive coordinator. At the same time, though, this quarterback competition remains wide open. Whether it carries into the preseason or the Browns settle on a starter during training camp remains to be seen.