A 'pretty balanced' Browns QB race, and the next audition belongs to Shedeur Sanders

CLEVELAND (AP) — Deshaun Watson made the most of his opportunity this past week to show he should be the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback when the season opens on Sept. 13 in Jacksonville.

The upcoming week will be Shedeur Sanders’ turn.

“I did feel going into last game that it was relatively close in terms of both having an opportunity at the starting position, so it would be unfair to not go into the next game and give Shedeur that same opportunity," coach Todd Monken said Sunday.

"Albeit a different team, certainly at home. There’s no guarantee the same players will be playing in this game, but it’s the closest you have, and we owe it to both players, who have handled it well and competed at a high level.”

Sanders will start and play the first half of Saturday’s game against Buffalo, as well as take snaps with the first team on Monday and Wednesday. Watson will be with the first unit on Tuesday and play the third quarter.

Both quarterbacks will take snaps with the starters during Thursday’s joint workout with the Bills. Monken said the snaps that both players are getting are “pretty balanced at this point, within reason.”

Watson played six series in a 34-10 loss to the Chicago Bears. He led the Browns to a field goal and touchdown on the second and third drives, completing 8 of 9 passes for 102 yards.

The 10-year veteran was 3 of 6 for 24 yards on his last three series, including 0 for 2 during a two-minute drill late in the first half. Watson also had more consistent pressure in the pocket with the Browns taking out their starting offensive line after two series.

However, for his first playing time in 22 months, Watson had a solid 98.2 passer rating while going 11 of 15 for 126 yards.

“It was good to be able to move around, run around, and be in live action, other guys trying to hit me and be confident with it. So the work has definitely been put in,” Watson said after Saturday’s game.

Sanders went 6 of 11 for 79 yards with an interception and a 39.6 passer rating in three possessions.

Sanders, who started the final seven games last season, had a 24-yard completion to Gage Larvadain on his first snap and later found Luke Floriea for a 35-yard gain to the Bears 14.

Cleveland didn’t get points, though, when Ahmani Marshall was stopped on fourth-and-1 at the 5.

Sanders' worst throw was on the third series, when a pass intended for Malachi Corley was overthrown and picked off by Beanie Bishop Jr. at the Bears 30 and returned 34 yards into Cleveland territory.

“I just didn’t execute, but the right decision was made,” Sanders said after the game. “Turning the ball over and all that stuff is not great, and you won’t survive a long time in the league doing that. But as long as my eyes, feet, and everything were in the right place, being able to execute it, it just may happen.”

Monken hopes Sanders can continue to bounce back this week, as he has throughout the offseason workouts.

“He’s improved so much. I mean he really has in terms of climbing the pocket and working through his progressions,” Monken said. “Even on the one he threw to 81 (Luke Floriea) in the slot, like he drifted too deep. We caught him in the blitz, but they weren’t even close. He created some of his own pressure.”

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) speaks in a press conference after a preseason NFL football game, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) passes during the first half of a preseason NFL football game, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)

Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken speaks in a press conference after a preseason NFL football game, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) speaks in a press conference after a preseason NFL football game, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)

FILE - Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders warms up before a an NFL preseason football game in Chicago, Aug. 15, 2026 (AP Photo/David Banks, File)

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle was taken off the physically unable to perform list Sunday, providing hope that he might be able to return from a ruptured right Achilles tendon before the season opener.

The 49ers got good news on the injury front 10 days before the team was set to depart for Australia for a Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 11 with Kittle and All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey both back at practice.

“It definitely just gives us energy," offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said. “It just changes things. You got two Hall of Fame caliber players out there who are back out there and getting their work in. They practice at a high standard, and they lift everybody up. So, it definitely changes your energy a little bit.”

The Niners are scheduled to leave for Australia on Sept. 2 and Kittle said last week that he needed to get practice time in pads before then to determine whether he would make the trip and try to play Week 1.

Kittle ruptured his Achilles on Jan. 11 in a playoff win at Philadelphia and has made an impressive recovery to get back on the field in less than eight months.

Kittle is a two-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler who is a key part of San Francisco’s offense as a passing threat and a blocker in the run game. He had 57 catches for 628 yards receiving and seven touchdowns last season.

McCaffrey had missed the past two weeks of practice with what the team had described as “tightness.” After being limited to four games because of injuries in 2024, McCaffrey was an ironman last season. He played 1,010 offensive snaps in the regular season and playoffs — just the ninth running back in the past 20 seasons to top the 1,000 mark — and became the second player in the past decade with at least 450 combined carries and catches.

The 30-year-old McCaffrey hasn’t responded well in the past following his heaviest-use seasons. The previous two times he topped 400 touches — in 2019 with Carolina and 2023 with the 49ers — he was severely hampered by injuries the following season, missing 13 games each in 2020 and 2024.

McCaffrey said the recent time off should be of no concern for the season as it was part of the protocol plan to get him ready.

“Obviously, when you don’t practice, the way the media works now is a firestorm,” he said. “But this was kind of part of the plan from the jump was to ramp up pretty big, get nine, 10 practices in, kind of come back down, and then ramp back up so we’re fresh for the duration. Our staff’s done a great job of coming up with specific plans. I feel great. I feel fresh, and it’s good to be back out there.”

Star defensive end Nick Bosa remains out of practice with soreness and tendinitis in his surgically repaired right knee. Bosa tore his right ACL in Week 3 last season. He started camp on the active roster but has only participated in individual drills before being shut down nearly three weeks ago. The Niners have expressed optimism that he will be ready for Week 1.

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San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey stands on the sideline before a preseason NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Kelley L. Cox)

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle waves before a preseason NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Kelley L. Cox)

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) talks with tight end George Kittle during a joint NFL football practice with the Los Angeles Chargers, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in El Segundo, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)