Browns coach Todd Monken just dropped the plan for deciding who leads the offense this season, and it’s a tightrope walk between veteran Deshaun Watson and second-year player Shedeur Sanders. Cleveland’s had a revolving door at quarterback for years, with 19 different starters from 2016 through 2025, and that uncertainty is sticking around for 2026.
Monken’s Preseason Gauntlet
Monken’s strategy is clear: both QBs get a shot in the first two preseason games. Watson and Sanders will each start one, with the first on August 15 against the Chicago Bears and the second on August 22 facing the Buffalo Bills. Monken isn’t spilling who plays which game, adding to the drama, right? What he sees from those performances, plus a joint practice against the Bills, will decide who gets the nod for the final preseason game on August 27 against the defending AFC Champion New England Patriots. Even with that big hint, Monken says the Week 1 depth chart won’t be set until the Browns square off against the Jaguars in Jacksonville. Talk about keeping everyone on their toes!
Watson’s Troubled Run
It’s no secret Deshaun Watson’s NFL career has been a rollercoaster of off-field issues, injuries, and inconsistent play. He missed all of 2021, then got suspended for the first 11 games of 2022 after violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy due to alleged sexual misconduct. On the injury front, it’s been brutal. He tore his Achilles in Week 7 of the 2024 season, knocking him out for the year. Then, just months later in January 2025, he suffered *another* Achilles tear, needing surgery. Add that to an ACL tear in 2017, and it’s fair to wonder if the 30-year-old can stay healthy. Despite a massive five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract before 2022, he hasn’t been the undisputed answer. He’s only played 19 games total for the Browns, and hasn’t seen any in-game action since October 2024. That’s a long layoff.
Sanders’ Shot at Redemption
Enter Shedeur Sanders, the second-year player with unwavering confidence. His path to the Browns was anything but typical. Expected to go early in the draft, Sanders shockingly fell all the way to Day 3. The Browns snatched up the Colorado product at pick 144 in the fifth round. He got his chance last season after Joe Flacco was gone (he played the first four games) and Dillon Gabriel got benched due to a concussion. Now, Sanders has a real opportunity to prove why he was worth the gamble, stepping onto the field to show that confidence he’s always had in himself.
So, here we are: two QBs with wildly different stories, both fighting for the starting job. Monken’s making them earn it, game by game, practice by practice. Who gets the nod for Week 1 against the Jaguars? That’s the multi-million dollar question, and it’s going to dictate the Browns’ whole season. This battle is just heating up, and we’ll be watching every snap of it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply