The Cleveland Browns entered their offseason workouts as one of the few teams with no clarity at the quarterback position. Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders have split first-team reps thus far, with conflicting reports about who's leading the race.
That's why it's not much of a surprise to hear that, unfortunately, the fans will have to wait a little longer before knowing the final verdict. As he anticipated multiple times over the past couple of weeks, head coach Todd Monken still hasn't made up his mind.
Following the third and last day of mandatory minicamp, the Browns' first-year head coach reaffirmed his stance. As much as he'd love to have a starter now, he still likes what he's seen from both candidates:
“We will start off fall camp just like we’ve been doing, alternating those (quarterbacks). I’d love to have a decision now. We just don’t,” said Monken via Zac Jackson of The Athletic. However, the Browns' head coach doesn't necessarily think that's a problem.
“I don’t see it that way,” Monken said. “It would be if I didn’t think either one of them were capable of starting. I think they both can start and play winning football. I’m convinced of it. I can’t decide now because both have earned the opportunity to compete once we put the pads on.”
The Browns' quarterback competition has been more competitive than anticipated
This is certainly disappointing, but it's not a catastrophe. At least, it's nice to know that Monken is bullish on both options. He tells it as it is, and he called them out for throwing interceptions on 7-on-7, so it doesn't feel like he's just feeding the media with P.R.-trained answers; he might truly feel that way.
As much as some fans may hate to consider the possibility of Watson starting again, it might just mean that he's finally back to full strength and looking sharp. Granted, that still shouldn't be enough for him to take the field, but it definitely raises the bar.
Iron sharpens iron, and if the threat of being benched has pushed Sanders to a starting-caliber level, perhaps having him split work with Watson will only help him stay on his toes. If Watson has been as good as advertised, the fact that Sanders isn't far behind is fairly encouraging.
Of course, having Sanders start would be an almost-perfect scenario, as he's still under contract for three more years on a cheaper deal and has higher upside given his youth. Monken might not be ready to give him the nod just yet, but watching him hold his own against a former MVP candidate should get him the benefit of the doubt.
The narrative around the Browns' quarterback competition used to be that it was laughable and underwhelming, but it may have turned out to be the opposite. The jury is still out, and it would obviously be much better to roll into training camp with a clear-cut starter to get a jump start on the offense.
Still, great things are rarely built overnight, and Monken's slow cooking might feed a lot of people in Cleveland in 2026.
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