The Cleveland Browns headed into training camp this summer with four quarterbacks on the roster. Todd Monken, entering his first year calling the shots for Cleveland's offense, has been building a system around pre-snap reads and quick decision-making after the ball is snapped.
That process has played out slowly through camp, with reps split by day and play calls tailored to whichever quarterback is under center. Padded practices have given the coaching staff a clearer look at how each passer handles contact and pressure in game-like situations.
By this point, the competition has come down to two names: Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders.
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Monken made his first real decision on the matter Wednesday, telling both quarterbacks in a meeting that Watson will start the preseason opener against the Chicago Bears this Saturday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Sanders will then get his turn the following week, starting at home against the Buffalo Bills.
Sanders, a fifth-round pick in 2025, stepped into the starting role late last season and started eight games. He completed 120 of his passes for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns, finishing with a completion percentage of 59. His poise stood out at the time, especially given how quickly he was thrown into the lineup.
Watson, meanwhile, is still working his way back from the ruptured Achilles he suffered in 2024 and has not finished a full season since arriving in Cleveland. Even so, his track record as a former Pro Bowl quarterback has kept him squarely in the mix.
The setup gives each quarterback a chance to play with the starting unit and make his case, with Monken in no hurry to name a starter before Cleveland has seen enough.
