The Cleveland Browns are building a pretty strong roster. An already elite defense saw some major additions on the offensive end this offseason, both to improve the wide receiver room and give their quarterback better protection.
However, the quarterback spot remains the biggest question mark on the roster. A few days removed from the draft, it looks like a two-man race between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson. Now, new head coach Todd Monken is giving fans an idea of what to expect from the two.
Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson’s Battle Is the Main Talking Point
Last year, a season-ending injury to Watson allowed the Browns to explore a multitude of pathways for the quarterback spot. Signing Joe Flacco and drafting Dillon Gabriel and Sanders in the third and fifth rounds, respectively, they gave all three a run under center.
By the end of the year, though, Sanders had seven starts to his name and seemed like the logical starter, at least for the time being. Despite ranking as the fourth-worst player on PFSN’s QB Impact Metric (QBi), his youth has at least given Cleveland some hope.
On the other hand, Watson had one of the worst contracts in sports while finishing at 39 on QBi in 2024. Those are the two main competitors for the starting quarterback job, at least for the time being.
Monken recently appeared on “The Ken Carman Show With Anthony Lima” to offer his insight into how the summer will unfold for the most important position in the sport.
“I think there’s levels of being objective,” Monken said. “I’m not Patrick from SpongeBob, I don’t live under a rock.”
Explaining his stance, he added, “I hear things, I see things, you’re part of that. I’ve learned over the years in coaching [that] your job is to let it play itself out. I said that many of times, like, I’m gonna let all of the students take the test.”
Calling it the “only way,” it seems clear that Monken isn’t planning to play favorites. Instead, a fair assessment of their quarterback options could give the Browns their answer at quarterback, at least for this season.
BE AN NFL GM: PFSN’s Ultimate GM Simulator
With the way the roster is constructed, a good quarterback could take them to the next level, especially if some of their moves on the offensive end this offseason work out. However, a coaching change can also give them a significant boost, and that is what Monken is aiming for in his first season with the franchise.
