Forget about a clean slate for Cleveland’s quarterback competition, because NFL insider Mike Florio just slammed the brakes on Shedeur Sanders’ QB1 trajectory. The Pro Football Talk analyst flagged a single OTA practice clip, claiming it’s ironclad evidence the rookie signal-caller isn’t fully committing. And if that’s true, it means Deshaun Watson, despite all his baggage, could easily snag the starting job.
The “Half-Effort” Warning That Changes Everything
Florio honed in on a fake-pitch drill where Watson apparently executed the sequence perfectly, slinging a sharp throw. Meanwhile, Sanders? He looked like he was just coasting through the exact same rep. You might think one little drill is trivial, right? But in a two-man race for QB1, every single observable detail matters to the coaching staff. It’s not just about flashy plays, it’s about showing up ready to grind.
This isn’t just Florio being critical for the sake of it. Sanders already threw 10 interceptions in his first eight career games, which had the Browns’ staff already scrutinizing his pocket judgment. If he’s not treating these “spring drills” as prime opportunities to fix those very issues, then Watson doesn’t need to be some all-world QB to win. He just needs to look like he’s taking it more seriously. Florio even imagined the direct warning Coach Todd Monken might have to deliver: “You can’t win the job if this is how you’re going to approach these drills. You’ve got to put everything into it, or Watson is the guy who’s going to earn the job.” That’s a gut punch, man.
Watson’s Checkered Past Vs. Sanders’ Growth
Now, NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero offers a more nuanced take, and it’s essential context. Watson is staring down the fifth and final year of his massive five-year, $230 million contract, but he’s only played in 19 games across the past five seasons combined. His track record in Cleveland is brutal: an 11-game suspension in 2022 for sexual harassment allegations, a rotator cuff injury in 2023, a ruptured Achilles in 2024, and then *another* Achilles rupture on the same leg in 2025 that cost him the entire year. How can you even project what he’ll do?
Even with that history, Pelissero noted the Browns’ staff left OTAs and minicamp feeling like both guys are capable of starting. He said Sanders “did improve” and showed “growth through the spring.” Monken himself has publicly praised Sanders for better pocket decision-making. But Florio’s core argument remains: Sanders is a “gamer” who shows up on Sundays but checks out in practice. And in a league where preparation is king, that split makes it tough to earn the trust of the staff.
The decision for QB1 is looming, and it sounds like Sanders’ practice habits are putting a huge hurdle in his path. This battle will come down to who looks like they truly want it more, day in and day out, ahead of training camp.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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