Browns coach Monken not ready to name starting QB amid Watson-Sanders battle

The Cleveland Browns entered last season with one of the NFL’s more crowded quarterback rooms.

Shedeur Sanders took over as starting quarterback in Week 12 last season, and after two more starts, he was named the starter for the remainder of the season. 

Dillon Gabriel moved to a backup role as Deshaun Watson remained on the physically unable to perform list, even after the team opened his 21-day practice window in December.

Sanders, Gabriel and Watson all return in 2026, but it remains unclear which quarterback will be under center when the regular season begins this fall. 

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Browns head coach Todd Monken reiterated his stance on maintaining an open competition for the starting job, telling Cleveland radio station 92.3 The Fan it’s premature to name a starter.

“It’s my job to let it play out,” Monken said.

Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns looks to pass during a voluntary veteran minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus in Berea, Ohio, on April 21, 2026. (Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

Monken’s comments Friday are in line with his previously stated belief in letting players decide who plays and giving all involved opportunities as the competition evolves.

The remarks also follow a report that Watson leads the race for the starting job. They also come after Shilo Sanders downplayed the report and publicly expressed support for his brother Shedeur’s bid for QB1.

DESHAUN WATSON HAS ‘INSIDE TRACK’ TO BE BROWNS’ WEEK 1 STARTING QUARTERBACK OVER SHEDEUR SANDERS: REPORT

Monken, who was hired in January, is expected to introduce a new offensive system in Cleveland. The first-year coach has indicated he prefers one quarterback to separate himself from the group.

The Browns held a three-day voluntary minicamp shortly before the 2026 NFL Draft. At the lone practice open to the media, Watson led the quarterback rotation in most drills, but Monken said the plan called for Sanders to get more reps overall.

Head coach Todd Monken of the Cleveland Browns during a voluntary veteran minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus in Berea, Ohio, on April 21, 2026. (Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

“I’m not there yet, so I can’t say (there’s a leader),” Monken added. “We’ve been on the field three days.”

The Browns are scheduled to begin organized team activities in mid-May. In June, the team will hold a mandatory minicamp. The offseason program then concludes before training camp begins in July.

Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders run a drill during Cleveland Browns mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus in Berea, Ohio, on June 10, 2025. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images)

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The Browns drafted quarterback Taylen Green in the sixth round in last week’s draft.

Speaking at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, Browns general manager Andrew Berry cautioned that there’s no rush to decide on a starting quarterback.

“We don’t have to make that decision anytime soon,” Berry said at the time. “I think any player that we have in that room we would expect to compete to earn a role. Those two would be no different.”

The Browns went 5-12 last season.

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