Former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders is locked in one of the league’s tightest QB1 battles against veteran Deshaun Watson. Sanders and Watson have been sharing first-team reps during training camp, but the veteran took over the reins on Saturday despite coach Todd Monken’s earlier revelation that the sophomore would handle those duties.
Todd Monken Addresses Shedeur Sanders Speculation
While speaking to reporters on Monday, Monken cleared the air over Sanders’ status in the QB1 race against Watson and explained why the veteran took the first-team reps over the sophomore on Saturday.
“It really was Shedeur on Saturday, (who) took the ones in the walk(through), so I anticipated him being with the ones,” Monken said. “When I walked out, guys grabbed me and said, ‘Hey, last couple of days, we’ve been looking at it, Shedeur has got a few more reps with the ones.’ That’s all it was… I was like, ‘Yeah, sure, we’ll flip it, and then next week we’ll go the other way.'”
“Ultimately, Shedeur’s gonna go today with the ones unless on my way out, I change my mind and then he won’t,” Monken added. “Just like any other player in terms of how we rotate them. The bottom line is, there’s speculation, which I find kind of funny. As long as we’re still sharing reps, it’s a competition.”
He concluded by saying, “I promise you I’ll tell you when we know what we’re gonna be doing, you’ll know… As far as I know, Shedeur is going with the ones, and then Deshaun the next day.”
Todd Monken explains what happened with the change in the QB rotation last Saturday. He says Shedeur Sanders will be with the 1s today.
“As long as we’re still sharing reps, it’s a competition.” pic.twitter.com/50v2QqcKZs
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) August 10, 2026
Watson returned from a long-term absence after re-rupturing his Achilles tendon, which caused him to miss the entire 2025 season. Since he signed a fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million deal with the Cleveland Browns from the Houston Texans in 2022, Watson has had a stop-start career in Cleveland, plagued by off-field issues and various injuries.
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The three-time Pro Bowler has only played 19 games for the Browns, tallying 3,365 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, and has a 9-10 record.
On the other hand, Sanders had to fight his way up the depth chart after being selected No. 144 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The former Buffs star ascended the depth chart after Joe Flacco was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel sustained a concussion. Even after Gabriel’s return, Sanders remained the Browns’ starter, leading them to a 3-4 record.
In his rookie season, he posted the league’s second-worst PFN QB Impact score of 63.0 after registering 1,400 passing yards on 56.6% completion, 7 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions for the Browns.
