Deshaun Watson starting Browns’ exhibition opener at QB, Shedeur Sanders to start next week vs Bills

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Deshaun Watson gets to go first.

The polarizing quarterback will start Cleveland’s exhibition opener at Chicago on Saturday — his first game action since 2024 — and Shedeur Sanders will play in the second half as the Browns’ QB competition creeps toward a conclusion.

First-year coach Todd Monken informed Watson and Sanders of his plans for the first two preseason games following Wednesday’s practice.

The QBs have been battling for Cleveland’s starting job throughout training camp, with every throw, incompletion and interception scrutinized by media and fans — both in person and online.

Monken intends to play his starter for the first half against the Bears and hopefully get him a two-minute drill. The second QB will play the third quarter.

The roles will be flipped against Buffalo on Aug. 22 in Cleveland.

“We’re going to see both of them,” said Monken, who disclosed his plans for the Chicago matchup without offering any explanations behind his rationale for them. “One’s going to start this week and one’s going to start next week.”

The Browns will practice against the Bills on Aug. 20 before their preseason game.

Cleveland opens the regular season against Jacksonville on Sept. 13. Monken hopes to have his No. 1 QB in place well in advance of Week 1. Time is running out.

Watson and Sanders are at different ends of their respective career spectrums.

The 30-year-old Watson’s tenure with the Browns has been mired by injuries and turmoil. Cleveland acquired him in 2022 and signed him to a fully guaranteed $230 million contract, He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in 2023 and came back the next season only to twice rupture his Achilles tendon.

He was also suspended 11 games by the NFL in 2022 after being accused of sexual assault and misconduct by two dozen massage therapists while playing in Houston.

When he goes behind center Saturday, it will be Watson’s first snaps in a game since Oct. 20, 2024, a span of 22 months.

“I’m super excited,” Watson said before practice. “All the hard work that I put in with the training staff, with my team, my personal team, to get to this stage has been tremendous. I’m super excited for those opportunities and can’t wait for it.”

After a terrible start in this camp, Watson has made steady improvement. He’s been more decisive, accurate and shown glimpses of the Pro Bowl-level player he was with the Texans — the one who enticed the Browns to make a monumental investment.

Watson knows he can’t retrieve lost time. He’ll never be the same QB. The guy from his days in Houston is long gone.

“I’m different, man,” he said. “Ever since I’ve been here early on, bringing up Houston was cool. But I’m 30 now. I had some injuries and things like that. So my game has definitely changed, but the mentality in how I play and how I approach it doesn’t.”

While others have varying expectations about Watson can do, he’s realistic about his current abilities. He’s also proud of his resiliency.

“I have a clear vision,” he said. “I have a clear mind. The world knows what I went through.”

Monken has seen enough positives from Watson to believe he might be able to recapture his old form. The only way to find out is on the field.

Monken believes Watson can be special again. He wants him to feel that way, too.

“I would never put limitations on a player,” he said. “I’d hate that he would do that. Why can’t he play like that? I don’t know. I haven’t seen it yet. I’m not going to say he can’t until I see it, until we see it. I’ve seen a lot of really good things over the course of the four or five months I’ve been here. I’m not going to put that on him. If he thinks he can’t play like that, that’s on him.”

Sanders showed promise while starting seven games as a rookie in 2025. The immensely popular fifth-round pick said he’s made strides in Monken’s offense, but knows he’s an unfinished product.

He needs to improve in everything.

“It’s like a chart within myself and seeing, OK, if I got 10 different areas to improve, let’s improve each area every day until it gets to max threshold,” he said. “Max threshold, that’ll take some time. That’s going to take a couple years, max threshold. But I think I’m improving in every area overall.”

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