Sheduer Sander has been caught up in a starting quarterback race since his rookie season. Last year it was Dillon Gabriel, and this season it is veteran Deshaun Watson. This time, the scales are skewed after Watson outperformed Sanders in OTAs.

On June 11, ESPN Cleveland shared the results of team drills for both quarterbacks, and Sanders is trailing. In the mandatory camp No. 3, he stood at 10/13 in completions with zero touchdowns and interceptions.

Watson, on the other hand, recorded 14/18 and two TDs. Dillon Gabriel, whose name has been heard in trade talks, threw a touchdown in his 5/6 reps. Sanders, 24, was benched for the first ten weeks in 2025 and then put to action when Gabriel suffered a concussion.

Despite some stellar performances like the Week 14, four-touchdown one, Sanders had a major flaw that limited him. Despite a 13-6 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the QB was called out for his hasty throws. 

Former Cowboys QB Tony Romo said Sanders needs to make better calls.

“Shedeur knows he wants that one back,” Romo said. “That's as poor a decision as he's made in his young career. He's young, but you can't just throw it up for grabs.”

Sanders appears to have taken the feedback well and worked on it. Head coach Todd Monken revealed that Sanders has gained better judgment this off-season.

“I just think he’s doing a better job, I think he’s being more decisive,” he said, via Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan. “The ball’s coming out of his hands, which he’s going to have to do. Not that he doesn’t have playmaking ability, because he does. He has to be able to stack plays and score, which is ultimately the No. 1 thing to do.”

Last season, Sanders was sacked 23 times, and based on Monken’s admission, he will take fewer sacks this year. Apart from reducing the time he keeps the ball with him, Sanders has made other improvements.

Browns Quarterback Coach Reveals Where Shedeur Sanders Has Improved Most

On June 11, Mike Bajakian, the Cleveland Browns quarterbacks coach, spoke to the media. There, he assessed what improvements Shedeur Sanders has made. 

“I’d say over the past 10 or 12 weeks, he’s done a great job of defining his footwork, playing with a base, learning the offense, working his butt off to really master his craft, and it’s been fun to watch,” Bajakian said. 

In 2025, Sanders made 21 carries for 169 rushing yards and scored one rushing touchdown. He ended the season with 1,400 passing yards, seven passing TDs and 10 INTs. 

Will he start from Week 1 and rack up better stats this season? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

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Written by

Akanksha Biradar