Todd Monken shares how Browns will split first-team reps amid QB competition

No leader has emerged in the Cleveland Browns starting quarterback battle between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson. The team hopes that changes during training camp. 

On Wednesday, first-year Cleveland head coach Todd Monken spoke about the competition. He made it clear that each QB is receiving a fair chance to separate himself as the starter. 

Todd Monken shares workload plans for Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson 

"Yeah, nothing's really changed," the coach told the media. "We anticipate alternating. First of all, four quarterbacks are going to compete. They won't all get equal reps. Obviously, we will alternate, just like we did in the spring, Deshaun and Shedeur with the ones."

Second-year QB Dillon Gabriel and rookie QB Taylen Green (a sixth-round pick) are the team's other passers. While Monken insists they'll be a factor in the contest, expect the coach to give first-team reps to Sanders and Watson. They ran the first-team offense for most of OTAs and mandatory minicamp. It wouldn't make sense for the team to switch things up this late in the offseason.

Starters will play Cleveland's preseason games, starting against the Chicago Bears on Aug. 15 (NFL Network, 1 p.m. ET). Whoever starts at QB in that tilt in Chicago may hold the early lead, but that doesn't mean they have won the job. Monken's waiting until Week 1 of the regular season against the Jacksonville Jaguars (Sept. 13) to solidify the QB1 plans. 

It appears Monken likes Sanders. He served as Baltimore Ravens OC in 2025, when they almost selected the former Colorado Buffaloes star in the fifth round of the NFL Draft. Sanders shut that down due to concerns about playing time; QB Lamar Jackson, a two-time league MVP, stars for the Ravens. Sanders ultimately fell to Cleveland at pick No. 144. 

Monken, however, is not letting his personal feelings about either player influence his decision. 

"Ultimately, I'm not going to decide who the starter is. They decide by their play," Monken said. "I don't have any preconceived notions of how they're played in this or how they're going to play. I only can, with my eyes, judge. And guys have got to play well around them. I think we've shored up some things up front. We've added some weapons on the perimeter, so I think that's going to help.

"But they'll decide who plays — I don't decide who plays, the players decide who plays."

Sanders and Watson recently worked out with teammates at a passing camp in Miami. Both hope the extra reps give them an edge in the tight QB race. Chemistry with the rest of the team will clearly be one of the criteria Monken uses before naming the starter.