News from Cleveland Browns camp centers on the close quarterback battle between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson and a brewing rivalry between Jared Verse and Spencer Fano
Shedeur Sanders
Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson are competing for the Browns' starting QB job(Image: Getty Images)
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The Cleveland Browns are one of just a handful of teams entering the 2026 NFL preseason with a legitimate quarterback battle on their hands.
Browns veteran Deshaun Watson and second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders are in a battle for the starting job that could last for another month.
Elsewhere at the team's Barea training camp, a fight broke out between new acquisition Jared Verse and first-round pick Spencer Fano early in Saturday's practice. It's far from the only fight at training camp: the Cincinnati Bengals kicked off their camp with a scrap on the first day.
Here is the latest Cleveland Browns news:
QB battle
Saturday was the 10th day of Cleveland's camp, and Watson once again was the strong performer, completing 23-of-34 passes for four touchdowns. Sanders completed 16-of-20 and didn't throw a touchdown.
Todd Monken was asked about who will start in the team's first preseason game against the Chicago Bears (third-stringer Dillon Gabriel remains a candidate as well).
Todd Monken
First year Browns coach Todd Monken doesn't seem close to naming a starting QB(Image: Getty Images)
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"That's something we'll talk about tomorrow. I think tonight, tomorrow, and then Monday, we'll start to really focus in on who's going to start, how we're going to play our guys, and where we're at a quarterback's a piece of that," he said
"We're now done with installs (and have had) a chance to assess. We already talked about it last night and then tomorrow. And now we're into game week. The closest thing we'll have to a game is the Bears. And so I will start to put the pieces where we think, again, at that time after another week, we'll reassess come Monday. But you'll see that on Monday."
Monken has previously hinted that whoever starts the team's final preseason game will likely serve as the Week 1 starter.
Verse vs Fano
Verse, Cleveland's prized trade return from the Los Angeles Rams in the Myles Garrett trade, and Fano, the ninth pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, found themselves in the middle of a tiff at Saturday's practice.
Verse, the 2024 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, seemingly ripped off Fano's helmet and attmpeted to wrestle him to the floor. Teammates rushed over to break up the scuffle.
The pair were matched up on the Browns' edge all day. Fano looked to have gotten the better of the edge rusher, clapping on one occasion when Verse jumped offside.
Fano is expected to serve as a long-term piece protecting either Watson or Sanders — or potentially 2027 draft pick Arch Manning — for Cleveland in the long term.