The Browns’ quarterback situation is already one of the biggest storylines heading into the new season, and Todd Monken has now added another layer to it. Cleveland still has Deshaun Watson, the quarterback the franchise invested heavily in, but Shedeur Sanders entering his second NFL season gives the team a younger option with real upside.
With training camp and preseason decisions approaching, Monken’s latest update offers a better sense of how the Browns are viewing the competition and what Sanders still needs to show before the team makes any major call under center.
Mary Cabot shared on X Monken’s stance on the quarterback role saying, “#Browns Todd Monken said “nothing has changed” in the quarterback competition and they’ll still divide up the reps. He still hopes to know his QB1 by the end of spring ball.”
Are the Browns Still Relying on Watson to Come Good?
Cleveland’s quarterback room is heading into a season where nobody can really afford to waste the opportunity.
Deshaun Watson is back in the picture after missing a long stretch through injury, and the Browns are giving him a chance to prove there is still a starting-level quarterback there. His time in Cleveland has been messy, expensive, and far from what the franchise expected, but a new coach and a different offensive setup give him something close to a reset.
Shedeur Sanders is the other major name to watch. He did not do enough as a rookie to lock down the job, but he showed enough talent for the Browns to keep developing him. With Todd Monken now running the team, Sanders should get a more serious look and a chance to show whether he can be more than just a young project.
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That is what makes this competition interesting. Watson has the resume, but he also has injuries and inconsistency hanging over him. Sanders has upside, but he still has to prove he can run an NFL offense at a higher level.
The Browns have other quarterbacks in the building, but the main storyline is clear: can Watson make one last push, or can Sanders force Cleveland to think bigger about its future?
Monken does not need to name a winner immediately. But by the time training camp gets going, the Browns will want a much clearer idea of who can actually lead this offense.
