CLEVELAND, OH - DECEMBER 07: Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders 12 leaves the field following the National Football League game between the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns on December 7, 2025, at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, OH. Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire NFL, American Football Herren, USA DEC 07 Titans at Browns EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon251207025

Jul 11, 2026, 10:30 AM CUT

Browns insider reveals a major change that might help Shedeur Sanders

Just when Deshaun Watson seemed destined to start, the Cleveland Browns' quarterback race has been flipped on its head. Browns insider report hints that a significant change could give Shedeur Sanders an opening to make serious inroads for the QB1 spot.

NFL insider Mary Kay Cabot spotted a significant shift during the Browns' minicamp. According to her, Sanders appeared to be quietly gaining momentum.

“I thought it was very significant that when we showed up for the very first day of mandatory minicamp, the player taking most of the first-team reps on that day, on the first day of mandatory minicamp, was Shedeur Sanders. I just thought that was significant,” Cabot said on July 8.

CINCINNATI, OH - JANUARY 04: Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders 12 walks off the field after the game against the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals on January 4, 2026, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire NFL, American Football Herren, USA JAN 04 Browns at Bengals EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260104199

Speaking on the Orange and Brown Talk podcast, Cabot said Deshaun Watson entered the offseason as the Browns' presumed starting quarterback.

But Shedeur Sanders' impressive progress during OTAs and minicamp has forced the team to rethink that position. On top of that, Cabot believes Watson has begun showing signs of fatigue during practice sessions.

“I think he needs to get some proper rest over the break because I thought his arm seemed to tail off a little. Maybe he got the slightest bit of fatigue in his surgically repaired shoulder,” Cabot said on the podcast.

But who will ultimately be the starting quarterback?

According to Cabot, the situation is far more complicated than it appears, with the front office relying on its own team of experts to evaluate the competition.

Shedeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson? Analyst says the situation is complicated

According to Mary Kay Cabot, what makes this battle so interesting is who will be in the room when that decision is made.

The NFL analyst on another episode of the Orange and Brown Talk podcast revealed that the Browns have assembled a team of experienced football minds to help GM Andrew Berry make the decision.

“Now you’re talking about some pretty high-level advisors that they have that are helping out Andrew Berry,” Cabot said on the July 6 episode of the Orange and Brown Talk podcast. “They just brought Ryan Grigson back into the fold...And then you’ve got Tom Telesco...There will be a lot of people weighing in.”

Former Colts GM Ryan Grigson and ex-Chargers GM Tom Telesco will be part of the group guiding Andrew Berry's quarterback decision.

The group also includes assistants Glenn Cook, Catherine Hickman, and Todd Monken's offensive staff.

With so many veteran football minds evaluating their performances, neither Watson nor Sanders can afford to slip. Both quarterbacks will be eager to put their best foot forward during training camp, but who will come out on top? What do you think? Let us know in the comments!

Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore