Quinshon Judkins Says Browns’ Watson-Sanders QB Battle Isn’t a Distraction
The Cleveland Browns still don’t have a starting quarterback for Week 1, and the guessing game between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders has followed the team through every practice of training camp. Running back Quinshon Judkins isn’t worried about it turning into a problem in the locker room.
Judkins addressed the ongoing Browns quarterback competition this week, pushing back on the idea that the uncertainty at the position could pull the team apart before the regular season even starts.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a distraction just because, you know, we have a great head coach, Coach Monken keeps us focused on things that matter,” Judkins said, according to Mary Kay Cabot. “You know, it goes back to the team. That’s what’s most important. At the end of the day, we go out there and compete at practice, and we have each other’s back.”
Judkins didn’t stop there. He described a quarterback room that stays even-keeled no matter which passer is having the better day.
“So go in the quarterback room, each and every one of those guys, they support each other,” Judkins continued. “No matter who throws a pick or who throws a touchdown, they still act the same way. None of those guys change. So I think that’s what’s important. And I think, you know, there’s no distractions.”
Mary Kay Cabot posted video of the comments on X: “#Browns Quinshon Judkins says the QB competition is not a distraction”
#Browns Quinshon Judkins says the QB competition is not a distraction: pic.twitter.com/VHM8AiOamw
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) August 10, 2026
Watson has the edge, according to Ian Rapoport
Judkins’ comments come as the competition itself has started to tilt. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said Sunday that Watson has separated from Sanders over the past several days of camp, according to Yardbarker.
“It certainly seems like Deshaun Watson has the leg up here,” Rapoport said on Inside Training Camp Live. He pointed to Watson’s experience running Cleveland’s offense as the deciding factor, not raw talent. “He’s the one who is more well-versed in the Browns’ operations,” Rapoport added, per his X account:
From Inside Training Camp Live: A breakdown of all the QB battle, looking at the #Browns, #Falcons, and #Vikings. pic.twitter.com/J74ojRAwNx
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 9, 2026
Rapoport didn’t dismiss Sanders’ camp entirely. He said the second-year passer has “flashed” and shown he “has some talent,” but that Watson’s consistency in the day-to-day reps has made the bigger impression heading into preseason.
That shift became visible on the practice field. Watson took every first-team rep during a Day 10 session that was originally supposed to belong to Sanders, according to Dawg Pound Daily, which tracked the rotation shift. Sanders split the remaining second-team work with Dillon Gabriel that day.
Cleveland.com’s Cabot has reported separately that Watson has cut down on turnovers and sharpened his completion rate as camp has progressed — a swing from earlier sessions when he was reportedly picked off multiple times in a stretch of practices.
Where the competition stands
| Player | Experience | 2025 Stats | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deshaun Watson | 19 career Browns games | Has not played in a regular-season game since October 2024 (Achilles) | Reported edge in camp reps |
| Shedeur Sanders | 8 games (rookie year) | 1,400 passing yards, 7 TD, 10 INT | Splitting second-team reps |
Watson, who signed a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract before the 2022 season, hasn’t appeared in a regular-season game since tearing his Achilles in October 2024 — his second Achilles injury in as many seasons. Sanders, a fifth-round pick out of Colorado, started Cleveland’s final seven games last year as a rookie after injuries and roster shuffling pushed him up the depth chart.
Neither the Browns nor head coach Todd Monken has named a starter. Both quarterbacks are expected to get at least one preseason start, beginning with Cleveland’s exhibition opener against the Chicago Bears on Aug. 15, though multiple reports now indicate the Browns are trending toward Watson getting that first look under center.
Why Monken is downplaying the drama
Monken has kept the competition open by design, rotating first-team reps between the two quarterbacks through most of camp rather than settling on one early. That approach is part of why Judkins’ comments matter — a locker room that stays neutral gives Monken more room to make the call on performance alone, rather than reacting to a divided roster.
It also explains why a rushing attack built around Judkins carries extra weight in 2026. Whoever wins the job will lean on the run to take pressure off an offense still sorting out its passing identity, and Judkins enters his second season looking to build on 827 rushing yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie.
The Browns open the regular season Sunday, Sept. 13, against the Jacksonville Jaguars, still without a settled answer at the position that will determine how far this team can go.
