The Cleveland Browns’ quarterback dilemma is once again the talk of the offseason. With a crowded and underperforming quarterback room featuring Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson, and Dillon Gabriel, and now the newly drafted Taylen Green, head coach Todd Monken has reportedly grown increasingly frustrated by the relentless media inquiries about who will be the starting signal-caller in Week 1.
Inside the Cleveland Browns’ Quarterback Circus
This ongoing saga recently caught the attention of NFL legends Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, who hotly debated the Browns’ handling of the situation on a recent episode of their podcast, “Nightcap.”
During the show, Johnson criticized the Browns’ decision-makers for perpetuating unnecessary drama by refusing to simply name a definitive starter. He noted that dodging the topic only adds fuel to the media’s fire.
“You know what else [is] going to piss him off too, right?” Johnson asked, referring to Monken’s frustrations. “Is as we get closer to the season, the question from the reporters, ‘Who’s going to be your starting quarterback Week 1?’ That’s going to make it even worse.”
Johnson argued that Cleveland’s front office and coaching staff brought this media headache entirely upon themselves.
“But you know how you nullify that? By saying who your starter is in goddamn training camp,” he emphatically stated.
He expressed annoyance at the predictable “quarterback battle” narrative that NFL teams often employ to buy time. “They play right into the circus. The GM and the owner and the head coach play right into the circus. Because if you answer the question right away from the beginning, then you don’t have to deal with the question no goddamn more.”
Sharpe, however, countered with the perspective of a fellow seasoned veteran, arguing that naming a starter prematurely wouldn’t magically stop the questions; it would just change the subject matter.
He pointed out the reality of daily practice observations. “Somebody going to leak it. You know, it’s going to be what we get: ‘Shedeur didn’t take any snaps today. Dillon took a lot of snaps with Joe Flacco. Shedeur is just throwing off to the side by himself.’”
While Joe Flacco left Cleveland for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2025, Sharpe is correct about how messy the dynamic seemed to be during the 2025 offseason. He noted that it felt like no matter what the coaching staff said, the drama kept growing.
Sharpe explained that declaring a QB1 without a true camp competition is a massive PR pitfall. “Guess what, Ocho? If I answer that, ‘What led you to this decision when you haven’t seen any of them practice against each other with nobody out there going against live competition?’… You invited another question just by doing what you did. See how he did that, Ocho? See that? That’s how they walk you into a trap.”
The debate raging on “Nightcap” perfectly mirrors the real-life on-field struggles of Cleveland’s primary passers. According to PFSN’s NFL QB Impact rankings, neither option gives fans much reason to celebrate.
Sanders struggled mightily during his recent rookie campaign, posting a dismal 56.9 PFSN QB Impact Score. This earned him a failing grade of “F” and placed him 46th overall in the 2025 season rankings.
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Meanwhile, Watson completely missed the 2025 season after rupturing his Achilles tendon. In his most recent qualifying season, 2024, his advanced metrics were similarly poor; Watson logged a 51.1 PFSN QB Impact Score, finishing 39th among quarterbacks with an “F” grade.
With both candidates ranking near the absolute bottom of the league in overall impact, the Browns face an uphill battle. Whether they name a starter now or drag the media “circus” into August, their ultimate challenge will simply be finding competent play under center.
