The Cleveland Browns are still scrambling for answers at quarterback, with head coach Todd Monken openly admitting that both Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson are going to split starter reps this week. We’re talking about a veteran with a massive contract and a promising second-year guy, and they’re both still fighting it out in mid-August. What’s going on down there?
The “Huge” Next Six Days Are On The Clock
This QB battle is hitting crunch time, with ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reporting Sunday that “the next six to seven days in Cleveland are huge.” Seriously, *huge*. Monken laid out the practice schedule, and it’s basically a coin flip: Sanders takes the first-team reps on Monday and Wednesday, while Watson gets his shot on Tuesday and Thursday. The plot twist? Thursday is a joint practice with the Buffalo Bills, and Monken straight up said “really both” Watson and Sanders will be splitting reps with the starters there. Sanders is even slated to start the Browns’ second preseason game against the Bills. Monken “suspect[s]” he’ll make a decision between the two signal-callers after that contest. Talk about high stakes for a preseason game.
Preseason Loss Just Added to the Chaos
You’d think a preseason game would help clear things up, right? Nope. Saturday’s 34-10 loss to the Chicago Bears just muddied the waters even more. Watson had the better stat line, slinging for 126 yards on 11-of-15 passing. Sanders, on the other hand, went 6-of-11 for 79 yards and threw an interception. Clearly, Watson had the better outing on paper. But here’s the kicker: even with Watson’s veteran experience giving him an undeniable edge, Sanders has still done enough to keep this competition rolling for at least another week. That pick he threw? It didn’t end the debate. Monken and his staff are now going to be staring hard at how both these guys perform against the Bills before making the call on who leads the Browns. It feels like they’re just waiting for one guy to mess up, or one guy to be undeniably great.
So, get ready, Browns fans. The next few days are absolutely critical. Sanders starting against the Bills, Watson getting those key reps too. Monken’s watching, the league is watching, and everyone’s waiting to see if either one of these guys can grab the job and finally end this drama.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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