Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken recently found himself at the center of attention after making a sudden change to the team’s training camp quarterback rotation involving Shedeur Sanders.
Now, former New England Patriots champion Asante Samuel has stepped forward to defend Monken while also directing criticism toward the young Browns quarterback.
Asante Samuel Backs Todd Monken, Questions Shedeur Sanders’ Mettle
The Browns have been dealing with a quarterback dilemma for several weeks as they determine whether Deshaun Watson or Sanders should take over as the team’s starter for the upcoming season.
Cleveland appears willing to give Sanders a legitimate opportunity to compete for the QB1 role, despite him ranking No. 37 in PFN Impact Grade with a 63.0 score last season.
After initially splitting first-team reps with Watson, Sanders was recently moved to the second-team unit. On the other hand, Watson began receiving the majority of the first-team snaps.
Monken explained that the adjustment was related to the coaching staff’s evaluation of certain personnel groupings. The Browns’ head coach also shared that the starting position remains open and will ultimately be determined by performance. Still, the criticism did not cool down.
On the latest episode of his podcast, “Say What Needs To Be Said,” Samuel defended Monken against criticism that the Browns coach had misled the public about Sanders’ practice repetitions.
PREDICT THE NFL SEASON: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
“Shedeur and Deshaun Watson were supposed to start one game apiece, right?” Samuel said. “One preseason game each. Now I see everyone thinking and feeling like the coaches and Todd Monken lied to us. I don’t think Todd Monken lies. The sudden switch in the rotation came from the man on whom Todd Monken is depending to evaluate his quarterbacks and his offense.”
Asante Frustrated With Shedeur Sanders Progress & Doesn’t Believe Todd Monken Lied pic.twitter.com/CK28klKt4W
— Say What Needs To Be Said (@saywhatneedsto) August 10, 2026
Samuel then pointed toward another important figure in the decision-making process: offensive coordinator Travis Switzer. Samuel believes Switzer may have seen something in Sanders’ performance that influenced the sudden adjustment.
However, the former NFL star also argued that Sanders has not fully capitalized on the opportunity he has received so far, while acknowledging that the rookie has shown signs of improvement.
“The problem is that Shedeur isn’t taking advantage of his opportunity,” he added. “Now I think Shedeur is making progress, but the bad habits he’s developed over the years are hard for him to fix.”
Samuel’s criticism is particularly notable because of his previous public feud with Sanders’ father, Deion Sanders. Although the two previously appeared to put their disagreements behind them, Samuel’s latest assessment has once again brought attention to his history with the Sanders family.
Still, Samuel’s comments do not suggest that he has a personal dislike for the Browns quarterback. The former NFL star previously criticized the New York Giants for passing on Sanders during the 2025 NFL Draft. However, this time, Samuel made his position clear and also took to X to publicly defend Monken.
“It’s hard for me to believe Todd Monken would lie to our faces directly before practice,” Samuel wrote. “That doesn’t make sense.”
On Tuesday, Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot published the Browns’ first unofficial depth chart, which lists both Watson and Sanders as QB1, while leaving the QB2 position vacant.
Meanwhile, Monken reiterated Monday that he has yet to decide whether Sanders or Watson will start Cleveland’s preseason opener against the Chicago Bears. The coach confirmed that the two quarterbacks will split starts across the Browns’ first two preseason games.
