Watson's Six Interceptions Fuel Sanders' Bid for Browns' Starting QB Job

Every throw will be judged with 10x scrutiny. It’s a quarterback competition. And it’s training camp. Just days before preseason. Even one interception is costly. And Deshaun Watson had 6! That calls for brownie points for Shedeur Sanders! By hook or by crook. Till now, the veteran and the second-year QB have been going head-to-head, but entering training camp and throwing six interceptions? That’s going to be costly. He has not played in nearly 2 years. Whereas Sanders has not had an absent year for the longest time in his football life: mostly college and one-year [okay, a few games] in the NFL. This is all going to count. How much a quarterback is accustomed to the gridiron. If he’s throwing passes that turn into touchdowns or interceptions. And now, it looks like Shedeur is winning the battle. For the Cleveland Browns’ starting QB job, everyone!

Will Shedeur Sanders be Browns’ starter after Deshaun Watson throws six interceptions in 2026 NFL training camp

In the first four days of 2026 NFL training camp, Shedeur Sanders finished with 64 completions on 91 passing attempts with a 70.30 completion percentage. He scored 4 touchdowns and had just 1 interception. As for Deshaun Watson? He secured 64 completions on 90 passing attempts with a 64.40 completion percentage. He scored 3 touchdowns but had 6 interceptions. As for Dillon Gabriel? He finished with 33 completions on 46 passing attempts with a 71.70 completion percentage. He scored 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. And the probable hero [completion percentage-wise] of the 4 days of training camp is newbie/rookie Taylen Green. He finished 14 completions on 17 passing attempts with an 82.40 completion percentage. Though, he secured zero touchdowns and zero interceptions. The 2026 sixth-round 182nd pick is proving himself but probably finding no opportunity on the gridiron with his senior signal callers occupied in a fierce competitive starting job battle.

Date Shedeur Sanders Deshaun Watson Dillon Gabriel Taylen Green July 29 16/19, 0 TD, 0 INT 12/22, 0 TD, 2 INT 7/9, 0 TD, 1 INT 3/5, 0 TD, 0 INT July 30 14/24, 0 TD, 0 INT 16/22, 0 TD, 0 INT 10/11, 0 TD, 0 INT 6/6, 0 TD, 0 INT July 31 21/26, 0 TD, 0 INT 18/27, 0 TD, 1 INT 11/17, 1 TD, 1 INT 4/5, 0 TD, 0 INT Aug. 1 13/22, 4 TD, 1 INT 12/19, 3 TD, 3 INT 5/9, 2 TD, 1 INT 1/1, 0 TD, 0 INT

The Athletic’s Zac Jackson reported on July 29 that the rookie Cleveland Browns wide receivers were only practicing with quarterback Shedeur Sanders [No. 2 offense]. And Deshaun Watson was struggling with a prolonged series of misses, picks, and floaters [bad throws and multiple interceptions]. The Browns were running simultaneous 7-on-7 drills just like last year. Even though Sanders looks like the clear winner [1 interception] of the early training camp QB battle, he is more troubled by the coverage of the QB battle than the battle itself. “Everybody’s goal is aligned here,” Sanders said. “That’s why we don’t have the petty quarterback battles internally. That’s not up to us. It’s up to whoever the coaches think put their best foot forward.” While Sanders does not believe in quarterback battles and believes that the best quarterback will win the battle; it looks like the Cleveland Browns top wide receiver has already chosen his favorite signal-caller.

Jerry Jeudy reportedly chooses Deshaun Watson over Shedeur Sanders

Straight from ClutchPoints’ Vin Bonaccorso, “There is some definite turmoil surrounding the Browns QB situation and their WR1 Jerry Jeudy just added a lot of fuel to that fire,” Bonaccorso said. “So, Jerry Jeudy was on TikTok Live when a fan asked him, ‘Who do you want your starting QB to be?’ And then Jeudy proceeded to hold up the No. 4 [with his fingers] and guess who wears the No. 4? Deshaun Watson.” “I think it’s safe to say that we know who the Browns’ WR1 wants throwing the ball to him,” Bonaccorso added. “And that’s Deshaun Watson and not Shedeur Sanders. But Jerry Jeudy does not make this decision. The new Browns regime does. And we love some drama around NFL training camp. And I’m excited to see how this one plays out.”

QB Completions Attempts Completion % TDs INTs Shedeur Sanders 64 91 70.30% 4 1 Deshaun Watson 58 90 64.40% 3 6 Dillon Gabriel 33 46 71.70% 3 3 Taylen Green 14 17 82.40% 0 0