Deshaun Watson still appears to have the early advantage in the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback competition, but Shedeur Sanders has not gone away. According to talkSPORT, Browns defensive lineman Maliek Collins said Watson has “a lot to prove” while also praising Sanders’ confidence and energy, adding another layer to a race that remains more pressure test than settled depth chart. The Browns are not dealing with a clean quarterback story.
They are dealing with Deshaun Watson’s body, contract, reputation, and form all colliding with Shedeur Sanders’ profile, late-season sample, and public pull. That is why this latest round of comments matters, even if it does not change the standings by itself. Watson is trying to come back from serious injury, including two Achilles tears cited by talkSPORT, while Sanders is trying to turn a noisy rookie season into a real path to QB1.
Cleveland’s quarterback uncertainty did not appear out of nowhere. talkSPORT frames him as having a slight edge after early voluntary training camp assessments, with his experience and motivation keeping him in front for now. That part is important.
The Browns are not presenting this as a Sanders takeover. They are still weighing Watson as the known veteran option, even with the injury risk baked into every discussion. Sanders, though, has a legitimate opening because Cleveland’s recent quarterback play left room for one.
Per talkSPORT, Sanders impressed late last season, finished with 1,400 passing yards, and helped the Browns win three of their five total games. That is not a complete QB1 resume. It is enough to keep the door open.
The Browns also have Dillon Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green in the room, but talkSPORT reports they are not currently viewed on the same level as Watson and Sanders. So the practical race, at least right now, centers on the veteran trying to reclaim the job and the younger quarterback trying to prove last season was a starting point rather than a brief spark. Collins’ comments land because they avoid the easy endorsement.
He did not crown Sanders. He did not bury Watson. According to talkSPORT, Collins highlighted Sanders’ energy and swagger while making clear that Watson has plenty still to show.
That is the actual temperature of this thing. Sanders gets a boost because a respected teammate sees the juice. Watson gets the sharper spotlight because his comeback cannot run on name value alone.
Cleveland needs snaps, movement, timing, command, and durability. It needs proof, not just offseason vocabulary. talkSPORT points to the Browns’ new head coach as the person overseeing a competition that is expected to stretch through rookie minicamp and OTAs.
That gives Sanders time. It also gives Watson time. The danger for Cleveland is pretending May chatter can solve a September problem.
Early reps and teammate comments can sketch the race, but they cannot answer whether Watson’s lower body will hold up, whether Sanders can cut down mistakes, or whether either quarterback can make the offense feel dependable. talkSPORT notes that Watson’s lucrative but restructured contract may influence the decision. That does not mean the Browns must start him.
It does mean his presence is not just a football evaluation. Cleveland has already invested heavily. Moving past him, even in practical terms, would carry weight.
But starting him only because of sunk cost would create its own problem if Sanders outplays him or if Watson’s injury comeback stalls. The Browns have to separate money from merit as much as any NFL team realistically can. That is why the Sanders angle should be handled carefully.
His name drives attention. His confidence drives reaction. His late-season production gives Cleveland something to develop.
But talkSPORT’s report does not establish that Sanders is now the favorite. It establishes that the pressure on Watson is real and visible. Sanders has a path, but it is still a path.
He has to make the staff comfortable with his decision-making, turnovers, and week-to-week command. A quarterback battle is not won by aura. It is won when the coaching staff trusts the ball, the huddle, and the schedule in your hands.
- Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green are also in the quarterback room, but talkSPORT says they are not currently viewed on the same level as Watson and Sanders. The implication is simple: Cleveland has a quarterback competition that can stay loud without producing much hard news. Watson’s edge matters, but only if his body and play hold up.
Sanders’ momentum matters, but only if he turns late-season promise into cleaner football. Collins’ comments add smoke, not a verdict. The Browns’ real problem is that both arguments are plausible.
Watson can be the experienced answer if healthy. Sanders can be the fresh answer if he develops quickly enough. Neither case is closed.
What’s next: Cleveland’s offseason work now becomes the filter. Rookie minicamp, OTAs, and the run toward training camp should give Monken and his staff a clearer read on Watson’s recovery and Sanders’ command of the offense. Until then, the Browns’ QB1 race remains alive because it has to.
Watson has not earned certainty. Sanders has not seized it. That leaves Cleveland exactly where it has been too often: searching for a quarterback answer in public. Read at talkSPORT
Why this matters
This matters because the Browns’ quarterback question is not manufactured noise. Watson’s injury comeback, contract, and uneven Cleveland tenure make him impossible to treat as a locked-in answer, while Sanders has enough production and profile to keep pressure on the room. But the latest report still lands closer to offseason smoke than hard news. Collins’ comments sharpen the stakes; they do not settle the job. Cleveland’s decision will depend on health, reps, and trust once practices matter more than quotes.
Frequently asked
Is Shedeur Sanders the favorite to start for the Browns?
No. Based on talkSPORT’s report, Deshaun Watson appears to have a slight early edge in the Browns’ quarterback competition. Sanders remains firmly in the mix because of his late-season production and the uncertainty around Watson’s injury comeback, but the report does not say Sanders has moved ahead.
What did Maliek Collins say about Deshaun Watson?
According to talkSPORT, Maliek Collins said Watson has “a lot to prove.” That comment matters because Watson is trying to return from major injury while re-establishing himself as Cleveland’s best quarterback option. Collins did not declare the competition over or endorse Sanders as the starter.
Does Watson’s contract affect the Browns’ QB decision?
It can. talkSPORT notes that Watson’s lucrative but restructured contract may influence Cleveland’s thinking. That does not guarantee he starts, but it keeps him central to the conversation. The Browns still have to weigh financial reality against performance, health, and the staff’s trust in each quarterback.
What is Sanders’ real path to QB1?
Sanders’ path is to outplay Watson over the offseason while proving he can run Todd Monken’s offense with fewer mistakes. His 1,400 passing yards and late-season wins gave him a case, but he still has to show consistency, decision-making, and command before Cleveland can hand him the job.
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