Todd Monken reveals Shedeur Sanders will remain Browns' QB2

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Todd Monken reveals Shedeur Sanders will remain Browns' QB2 amid depth chart shuffling

By Steven Kubitza | Last updated Oct 30, 2026 2:37 PM ET

The Cleveland Browns are finally getting some value out of the $230 million man Deshaun Watson. That leaves Shedeur Sanders in a state of limbo in terms of his NFL future.

Sanders and Watson entered 2026 in a quarterback competition, ultimately won by the veteran. The former has been the backup all season and has also shown up in recent trade rumors.

Fellow second-year quarterback Dillon Gabriel recently returned from the IR, adding a fourth player to the quarterback room in Cleveland. Rookie Taylen Green is the fourth.

Sanders continues to have his vocal supporters and head coach Todd Monken had an update Friday regarding the quarterback's role at least for this week.

Browns HC reveals Shedeur Sanders' role in Week 8

ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi shared how Monken said Sanders will stick in the QB2 role, with Gabriel and Green in discussions to be the emergency third option.

Browns coach Todd Monken said Shedeur Sanders will remain Cleveland's backup QB, but he has not yet decided whether to designate Taylen Green or Dillon Gabriel as the emergency QB on game day.
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) October 30, 2026

The Browns are carrying four quarterbacks at the moment, which does take up a large chunk of a 53-man roster. That should mean the team is looking to trade at least one member of the group.

Sanders is an intriguing trade option due to his reputation and the fact he did win some games for the Browns as a starter last season. The discussion comes down to whether the team sees Sanders or Gabriel as the best backup option behind Watson, who has suffered serious injuries in recent years.

Vocal Sanders fans on social media want the player to be traded to a team that will let him play. At this point, the most realistic option for that to happen may be him remaining in Cleveland as the direct backup behind Watson. Him keeping that role over Gabriel does point to some confidence from his head coach.

Steven Kubitza

Steven Kubitza is a Cleveland, Ohio, native with over a decade in the news industry. His work has been featured on Yahoo Sports, FOX Sports, and FanSided, among other outlets. He is a lifelong Browns fan who is convinced the team will turn things around at some point in the next 50 years

More must-reads: