The Cleveland Browns are currently holding a competitive quarterback battle between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson, and it’s safe to say every rep matters. That’s why fans were caught off guard to learn that head coach Todd Monken had taken some reps away from Watson.
Speaking with the media on Wednesday, Monken revealed that at the end of Tuesday’s practice, Watson and the second-team offense were supposed to conduct a two-minute drill. However, after Sanders successfully led the first-team offense to a score, Monken decided to wrap practice up because he wanted to end on a high note.
Browns coach Todd Monken said he stopped practice after Shedeur Sanders led successful 2:00 drive yesterday because he wanted to end on a high note for offense.
— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) August 5, 2026
So Deshaun Watson didn’t get a 2:00 drill.
Todd Monken ends Browns practice early amid quarterback battle
For a fan base that’s already dissecting every throw in practice, this admission from Monken certainly raised eyebrows and led fans to jump to some conclusions. Did Monken just admit he didn’t have confidence in Watson to also end things on a high note? Was scrapping Watson’s reps a sign that Sanders is in the lead of the competition?
Monken didn’t say any of those things, but those are the kind of thoughts fans will think based on what the head coach did say.
What is interesting, though, is that Todd Monken previously emphasized the importance of the two-minute drill in Cleveland’s practices. On Tuesday, when the head coach was asked about Watson’s early struggles to string together completions, Monken explained that the team would get a better idea of the quarterbacks’ ability to put drives together when they start doing move-the-ball sessions in practice.
He then said that the only time the team is moving the ball during this phase of camp is in two-minute drives. Knowing that, and understanding that keeping a drive going is an important metric in the QB battle, it’s interesting that Monken would take away one of his evaluation opportunities for Watson.
Either way, Watson bounced back on Wednesday and had arguably his best practice of training camp. With the preseason right around the corner, the quarterback battle in Cleveland might just be getting started.
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