As training camp nears, Deshaun Watson appears to have the edge over Shedeur Sanders in the Cleveland Browns' quarterback race. Yet one analyst believes the rookie has quietly narrowed the gap and remains firmly in contention.

“Early in the offseason, it looked like the Browns were more than comfortable rolling Watson out as their Week 1 starter. Then they saw Watson practice. Reports from OTAs and minicamp were not kind to Watson, though Sanders didn’t earn great reviews either,” said Bleacher Report's James Palmer, per NBC Sports.

During OTAs and minicamp, Watson led the way statistically, completing 90 of 133 passes with 13 touchdowns and three interceptions in team drills. Meanwhile, Sanders went 79-for-113 with five touchdowns and three interceptions.

The numbers heavily favor Watson over Sanders, but Bleacher Report's NFL insider James Palmer believes head coach Todd Monken might give Sanders a look as well.

Palmer also pointed out that Sanders has visibly improved since his rookie season, although certain aspects of his game still require more development.

"He (Sanders) is improving in terms of his pocket presence, in terms of going through his progressions, all the stuff that you need to play effective NFL quarterback," Palmer observed. "I think what we're forgetting here is he didn't really operate under center when he was in college. That was a big adjustment that he had to go through, that he was really a developmental prospect."

Palmer is not alone in this assessment. NFL insider Mary Kay Cabot has also expressed that Sanders has successfully closed the gap between himself and Watson.

According to Cabot, Watson has better mobility than Sanders, but the young QB's biggest strength is his accuracy.

Cabot expressed that Sanders appeared more decisive during offseason practices, earning praise from head coach Todd Monken himself, but it still wasn't enough for the coach to choose him over Watson.

Interestingly, one analyst believes that Sanders appears to be at the forefront.

NFL analyst predicts Shedeur Sanders taking the QB1 position

As training camp draws near, bold predictions from NFL analysts have been pouring in. But few are as daring as Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon, who believes that Shedeur Sanders will pull off a stunning upset and seize the Browns' starting quarterback job.

“It's just going to be too hard for Watson to suddenly revive his career after so much time off the pedestal, and Sanders has the tools to become something awesome in this league," Gagnon said.

Deshaun Watson signed one of the NFL's most lucrative contracts, worth $230 million, in 2022. However, injuries and inconsistent performances have kept him off the field, which is why Gagnon believes the Browns may not be too inclined to rely on him.

“I'm not convinced he'll put it all together, but I believe he'll make it impossible this summer for the Browns to turn away from his high ceiling,” wrote Gagnon.

It’s less about Watson falling short of expectations and more about Sanders being presented with an opportunity. So, if circumstances come in favor of the young QB, the Browns might choose him to be the starter.

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Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit