Shedeur Sanders, Todd Monken get brutal coach-QB ranking before Browns season

Shedeur Sanders has by no means locked in the starting quarterback position with the Cleveland Browns, and veteran Deshaun Watson could very well start out the season for the team and finally prove that his move to Ohio wasn't in vain.

But, that doesn't stop sports media from linking Sanders to Browns head coach Todd Monken in preseason coach and quarterback rankings.

In a feature published in Sports Illustrated, Matt Verderame names the Monken and Sanders combination the worst in the NFL heading into the 2026 season. To be fair, this is just his opinion, and frankly, it gives both Monken and Sanders a reason to excel next season.

SI writer details Shedeur Sanders and Todd Monken relationship

In the piece, Verderame notes that this is Monken's second head-coaching position, the first being from 2013 to 2015 at Southern Miss.

"Over the past three years, Monken oversaw the Ravens' offense, led by a pair of future Hall of Famers, quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry," he adds. "Unfortunately for Monken, that duo isn’t in Cleveland."

Instead, Monken "takes over a Browns team that has one playoff win since rejoining the league in 1999, and has a quarterback battle between Deshaun Watson and Sanders."

For all that's been said about Sanders, he has real talent. In his rookie NFL season with the Browns, Sanders started in seven games and played in eight, notching 1,400 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also had a 68.1 passer rating. He has something to offer the Browns, and perhaps Monken will defy the odds and bring more talent out of Sanders this season.