Browns QB Battle: Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders Competition Expected to Continue Into Training Camp

In the beginning of this offseason, Todd Monken expressed his desire to find a starting quarterback by the time mandatory minicamp came to a close. This would allow his players to go into training camp with a quarterback who was also their starting quarterback.

Nevertheless, the head coach of the Cleveland Browns stated to the media on Tuesday during mandatory minicamp that he is still “not there yet.” This statement was made just two days before the conclusion of his team’s offseason initiative.”That is the reality of it,” Monken stated as he was explaining how the position struggle between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders has not yet been decided. “I’m not going to name a No. 1 [by the end of mandatory minicamp],” he said. For this reason, I will not be naming them,” Monken explained.

“Chances are, I will not,” Monken explained, pulling himself apart from the situation.

His next statement was as follows: “Now, once we get to the fall, we will have to dissect the reps in whatever manner we deem appropriate.” Following the manner in which Shedeur and Deshaun have played, I simply do not see it happening. Both of them have performed well enough to warrant the opportunity to participate from the beginning.

Even though Watson has been selected to the Pro Bowl three times, he has not been honored with this honor since the 2020 season. In the remaining seven games of the 2025 season, Sanders was the starting quarterback for the team. During his time with the Browns, the former Colorado standout quarterback was responsible for three of the team’s five victories; yet, he also had a completion rate that was lower than sixty percent and a higher number of interceptions than touchdown passes.

Even though Monken stated in April, while he was participating in optional minicamp, that he would not consider the quarterback competition to be “a two-man race,” he stated this week, when OTAs were taking place, that he believes the Browns had “two starting-level quarterbacks.”

Dillon Gabriel truly stands out as an outlier. Gabriel, who excelled at the University of Central Florida, Oklahoma, and Oregon, was selected before Sanders in the draft the previous year and was also given a chance to play for the Browns’ starting lineup before Sanders. As a first-year professional, he was selected in the third round and started six games. However, he did not dominate the competition for the starting job until he suffered a concussion, which forced Sanders into the lineup.

Aside from Gabriel, the only other player on Cleveland’s quarterback depth chart is rookie Taylen Green, who was selected in the sixth round. Green is a sixth-round pick who needs time to grow at the position, but he exudes with athleticism. “I would have hoped [to name a starter], but I like both of them,” Monken said on Tuesday about Watson and Sanders. “I’m at a loss for adequate words. That’s the simplest explanation there is. I have a preference for both of them, and we have not yet put on the pads. That is the challenging aspect. Despite the fact that I would have loved to have made that decision, either by someone separating themselves upward or downward, either way, which has not occurred, and we haven’t even gotten to the point where we have practiced against an opponent, put on the pads, had a controlled scrimmage, or played preseason games, we have not even gotten to the point where we have practised against an opponent.

To tell you the truth, I would have loved to have been able to. I have a feeling that you would be thrilled to have the starter named after you. It’s just not possible for me to do it.”

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Browns QB Battle: Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders Competition Expected to Continue Into Training Camp