Browns head coach Todd Monken praises Sanders' 'elite playmaking ability' ahead of QB competition

One of Todd Monken’s main priorities arsenic the caller caput manager of the Cleveland Browns is figuring retired who volition beryllium his starting backmost for Week 1. 

Monken has 3 options to look astatine this play — Deshaun Watson, who wasn’t disposable each past play owed to injury; Dillon Gabriel, the team’s third-round prime successful 2025; and Shedeur Sanders, the Browns’ starter astatine the extremity of past season. 

Monken hopes 1 of these quarterbacks tin acceptable themselves isolated implicit time. But each eyes volition beryllium connected Sanders, who started the last 7 games of the 2025 play for the Browns, to look arsenic the starter for Monken. 

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Todd Monken talks with the media aft being introduced arsenic caput manager of the Cleveland Browns during a property league astatine CrossCountry Mortgage Campus Feb. 3, 2026, successful Berea, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

During the NFL Scouting Combine this week, Monken was asked astir his quarterbacks, specifically whether helium sees Sanders arsenic the team’s starter. 

"I deliberation what you spot is elite playmaking ability," Monken said, according to the New York Post. "That’s successful him. You’ve seen it, we’ve seen it. You saw it successful college. You saw it connected portion past year. Sure, there’s a ways to go, but what rookie isn’t? What first-year subordinate doesn’t person a agelong mode to go? I’m excited to get started with him and each of our quarterbacks and each of our players."

Sanders went 3-4 implicit those 7 starts, portion Gabriel was 1-5 aft taking implicit for Joe Flacco, who was traded to the part rival Cincinnati Bengals aft an wounded to starter Joe Burrow. 

It’s worthy noting the Baltimore Ravens, with Monken arsenic violative coordinator nether erstwhile caput manager John Harbaugh, wanted to draught Sanders to backmost up Lamar Jackson, the team’s two-time MVP quarterback. However, Sanders made it known helium wished to spell determination successful the draught wherever helium had a accidental of being the team’s starter. 

Todd Monken speaks to the media aft being introduced arsenic caput manager of the Cleveland Browns during a property league astatine CrossCountry Mortgage Campus Feb. 3, 2026, successful Berea, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

Sanders was ne'er going to leap Jackson connected the extent illustration successful 2025 and beyond, truthful the Browns yet took him successful the 5th circular aft a shocking autumn down the draught committee past April. 

Watson is successful the last twelvemonth of what has been a disastrous $250 million, afloat guaranteed declaration for the erstwhile Houston Texans ace signal-caller. While playing successful 3 Pro Bowls during his clip successful Houston, Watson has played conscionable 17 games during his clip successful Cleveland, which included suspensions connected apical of his injuries. 

Yet, Monken believes a subordinate who has shown elite endowment connected the field, nary substance erstwhile it was, deserves a shot. 

"I deliberation you are ever going to springiness them the payment of the uncertainty that someway we mightiness beryllium capable to get that retired of them again," Monken explained. "I deliberation that’s however you should look astatine each player. I’m going to fto it play out."

Shedeur Sanders of the Cleveland Browns stands for the nationalist anthem earlier a preseason crippled against the Carolina Panthers astatine Bank of America Stadium Aug. 8, 2025, successful Charlotte, N.C. (Logan Bowles/Getty Images)

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In his 17 games with the Browns, Watson is 9-10, which includes a 1-6 people successful 2024 earlier an Achilles wounded ended his season. 

Sanders threw for 1,400 yards, 7 touchdowns and 10 interceptions successful his 7 starts for Cleveland past season. He was yet named a Pro Bowl replacement.

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