Browns Quarterback Competition Remains Open, Coach Monken States
Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken stated that the quarterback competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders remains completely open, despite Sanders throwing fewer interceptions and making more big plays than Watson in the early days of training camp.
Cleveland Akron, OH, August 1, 2026 —
Cleveland Browns Head Coach Todd Monken has indicated that the ongoing competition for the starting quarterback position remains entirely undecided. The race features veteran Deshaun Watson and newcomer Shedeur Sanders.
Monken emphasized that the team is not yet leaning towards either player, despite observations from the early stages of training camp. Reports from camp suggest that Sanders has demonstrated a tendency to throw fewer interceptions and has been responsible for more significant plays compared to Watson during these initial practice sessions.
However, Monken has stated that these early camp metrics are not the sole determining factors in the decision-making process. The coaching staff is evaluating multiple aspects of each quarterback’s performance, including their command of the offense, decision-making under pressure, and overall leadership qualities.
The exact timeline for when a decision regarding the starting quarterback will be made has not been publicly disclosed. The team is expected to continue observing both Watson and Sanders through the remainder of training camp and the preseason games to make a final determination before the regular season commences.
Further details regarding the specific performance metrics and the criteria being used to evaluate the quarterbacks were not provided.
Story summarized from the original created by Mary Kay Cabot on www.cleveland.com, see more information here.
