Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders spent the spring trading barbs during training sessions. Now they'll compete as starting quarterbacks for the first time when the Browns host the Titans on Sunday (1 p.m. ET on FOX).

The contrast is stark. Ward, selected first overall, has started all season for Tennessee. Sanders, picked in the fifth round at No. 144, is making his third start for Cleveland after climbing out of the bench.

"Cam's competitive," Sanders said Wednesday. "It's always fun getting out there, training with him."

Their friendship has weathered the draft's divergent paths. The two remain close despite limited contact during the season.

"He knows I'm here anytime," Ward said this week. "I'll probably say the start of the season was the last time we spoke. It's just more of we know at the end of the day if something is going crazy, we know who we got out there in our circle."

This matchup echoes their college days—Washington State defeated Colorado in 2023, with Sanders leaving that game injured in the second quarter.

Ward's Brutal Rookie Season

Stats (12 games): 59.7% completion, 2,351 yards, 7 TDs, 6 INTs, 75.2 passer rating

Ward's season has been a gauntlet. The Titans fired coach Brian Callahan after six games and now sit at 1-11, the league's worst record. Tennessee is winless under interim Mike McCoy (0-6).

Ward has shown flashes—a game-winning drive against Arizona, moments of brilliance against Denver, LA, Seattle, and Houston. But the problems are glaring: he's been sacked a league-high 48 times for 362 lost yards, also tops in the NFL. Holding the ball too long, inconsistent footwork, and missed throws have plagued him throughout.

The offense is broken. Tennessee ranks dead last in scoring (14.2 ppg) and total offense (242.4 ypg). The running game is second-worst. The receiving corps is among the league's worst. Ward has endured two different playcallers in 12 games.

Yet Ward has shown recent progress. Over his past six games, he's completing 64.3% of passes for 208.3 yards per game with an 82.8 passer rating and 4-2 TD-INT ratio—a marked improvement from his first six games (55.0%, 183.5 ypg, 67.3 rating, 3-4 TD-INT).

His ball security has improved dramatically. After throwing an interception in six consecutive games (Weeks 3-8), he's gone four straight appearances without a pick. He's holding onto the ball better and checking it down more frequently.

"I'm big on results. So, win or loss is the only thing I care about," Ward said. "Don't matter how it gets done, whether one side of the ball is playing [well] and the other side isn't, or special teams wins the game for us. But it comes down to just winning games."

Sanders' Brief but Promising Audition

Stats (3 games): 50.8% completion, 405 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, 69.4 passer rating

Sanders' evaluation is just beginning. Gabriel's concussion in Week 11 forced Sanders into relief duty against Baltimore, where he struggled. But his performance the following week against Las Vegas—209 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT—after just one week of practice with Cleveland's first-team offense earned him another start. Sanders became the first Browns QB to win his first career start since 1995.

Last week against San Francisco, reality struck harder. Sanders threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to rookie Harold Fannin Jr. early, then went silent. The offense scored nothing in the final two quarters as the Niners won 26-8.

"This team is not going to be a microwave thing," Sanders said Sunday.

In a small sample, Sanders appears to offer Cleveland more upside in the passing game than Gabriel. His 52-yard completion to Isaiah Bond in Week 12 traveled 42 air yards—Cleveland's longest completion since 2023, per Next Gen Stats.

But troubling patterns are emerging. Nearly a quarter of Sanders' passes (24.6%) are thrown behind the line of scrimmage. He's averaging 3.37 seconds to throw—the longest by any Browns QB in three seasons. That helped San Francisco achieve a 36.7% pressure rate, their second-highest of 2025.

Sanders has already been sacked six times for an average loss of 10.6 yards per sack. His tendency to hold the ball too long—an issue at Colorado—has translated directly to the NFL.

"In the midst of everything that's going on – wins, losses, anything – I remember when I wasn't playing," Sanders said. "So I never forget that feeling. I try my best to not let that happen again."

What Comes Next

For Ward

Tennessee is committed to building around him, but everything else must be dismantled and rebuilt.

The Titans must hire a new head coach to establish culture and develop their quarterback. On the roster front, the damage is severe:

• No legitimate No. 1 receiver (Calvin Ridley never filled the role before his season-ending broken leg in Week 11)
• Running back in flux (Tony Pollard is a cut candidate)
• Offensive line instability (Center Lloyd Cushenberry has no guaranteed money remaining; right guard Kevin Zeitler is slated for unrestricted free agency)

The receiving corps needs an overhaul. The offensive line needs patches.

For Sanders

Coach Kevin Stefanski remained noncommittal about Sanders starting the rest of the season, but with playoff elimination near, giving the fifth-round pick an extended audition makes strategic sense.

Cleveland needs clarity on its quarterback situation before spring arrives. Deshaun Watson, who hasn't played since October 2024 due to a torn Achilles, is finally returning to practice. The 30-year-old's contract—five years, $230 million—has been a disaster for the franchise.

The Browns possess two first-round picks in 2026, acquired in last year's draft-day deal with Jacksonville. They have the ammunition to pursue a franchise quarterback if needed.

"I just think it's going to be exciting for a lot of people to be able to see what both of us will be able to do when we play at a high level," Ward said.

Sunday will provide the first real answer.