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Cleveland's annual schedule reveal was supposed to be about dates and matchups. Instead, the franchise turned it into a casting decision that has fans reading every frame. The Street Fighter-styled production, posted acro s team Jon McGlocklin Jersey channels, slotted into the lineup alongside Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward and Carson Schwesinger. That grouping matters. Garrett, Ward and Schwesinger are recognized franchise pillars, and placing a rookie quarterback next to them functions le s like marketing and more like a depth chart hint. The clip leaned into the wink. When a character delivers the line, "Ah, that was my last quarter. I want my quarter back," host MatPat responds, "Sorry, Shedeur is off this week." The promotional choice cuts against the reporting. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com Deshaun Watson walked out of April's voluntary minicamp with an edge over Sanders and currently holds the inside track to the starting role.Head coach Todd Monken, meanwhile, refuses to commit either way. Watson's edge, Sanders' upside and the safer bet for Monken The numbers behind the battle explain why the staff is hesitating before placing its bet on either pa ser. a five-year fully guaranteed deal worth $230 million in 2022, posted 1,148 yards, five touchdowns and a 63.4% completion rate before tearing his Achilles tendon in October 2024. He spent the bulk of the recovery window sidelined through the end of the 2025 season. Sanders, by contrast, started seven games as a rookie after taking over in Week 12, finishing 3-4 with 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and a 56.6% completion rate. Neither resume screams franchise quarterback, and Cleveland's local airwaves have picked up on that. On 92.3 The Fan, Nick Wilson questioned whether the setup even qualifies as a genuine open contest. "I don't know who has the advantage here, though. All the little markers you're looking for that tell you whether it's a legit, true QB competition or not, we don't really have with this one," . For a coach trying to decide which quarterback offers the better bet on opening day, that ambiguity is the entire problem. Monken, who appeared on The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima earlier this month, has praised Sanders for his "elite playmaking ability" but stopped short of an announcement. "I would love to have that. I'm not there yet. So, I can't say that," he said. Jacob Camenkar of USA Today reported Monken wants more reps with the full roster first. Sanders, asked about Watson, called him a "vet" and added, "So when I have questions about certain things, I ask him." More Browns news: Khris Middleton Jersey