Cleveland Browns fans were understandably skeptical to see longtime NFL assistant Todd Monken named head coach at the end of the 2025 season. His top priority is, of course, solving the team's longstanding quarterback issue. Naturally, people are curious to see how he works with rookie sensation Shedeur Sanders.
Speaking to the media at the NFL Scouting Combine today, Monken was asked if Sanders can keep the starting QB job that he held at the end of last season. Monken proudly said that Sanders could and gushed over his "elite playmaking ability" before stating that he's excited for all of his players.
“Sure he can,” Cleveland head coach Todd Monken said at the scouting combine on Wednesday. “I think what you see is elite playmaking ability — that’s in him. You’ve seen it, we’ve seen it. You saw it in college. You saw it on tape last year. Sure, there’s a ways to go, but what rookie isn’t? I mean, what first-year player doesn’t have a long way to go?
“So, I’m excited to get started with him and all of our quarterbacks and all of our players.”
As far as the timeline for naming a starter, he said he hopes to have an answer before training camp starts, not midway through like the prior regime.
“You would hope that that’s the case,” Monken said. “You would hope that by the time you get to training camp that the reps you’re giving to a quarterback is for your starter. Whether we get to that place, I don’t know. That will be determined in the offseason as part of it, just another part of the piece.”
Shedeur and Monken
NFL fans were largely dismissive of Monken's remarks, pointing out that Sanders struggled mightily as a rookie. But there were still flashes that Monken is obligated to explore as part of his due-diligence.
Three different quarterbacks started games for the Browns last season - Sanders, Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel. Flacco is gone but former Pro Bowler Deshaun Watson is expected back after a long injury layoff. It'll be those three contending for the job.
© Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images.
Between the three, Sanders has the largest and arguably most impressive sample size based on 2025 alone.
Monken is going to give Sanders his chance to retain the job he held at the end of the year, but Sanders won't have limitless rope. If Gabriel, Watson or even another QB comes along and shows him up, things could change in a hurry.