Todd Monken Explains Why Deshaun Watson Is Getting Benefit of the Doubt With Browns

The Cleveland Browns are open to hosting another quarterback competition this offseason.

At Tuesday’s annual NFL Combine press conference, Browns general Andrew Berry entertained the idea that Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and Deshaun Watson will compete to be the team’s quarterback next season.

On Wednesday, new Browns head coach Todd Monken backed up that sentiment.

“Sure. I think it’s an open competition,” Monken said. “I don’t know why it wouldn’t be an open competition.”

Watson hasn’t played a full season since 2020, when he started all 16 games for the Houston Texans. Since the controversial trade that landed Watson in Cleveland, he’s only played 20 games for the Browns.

But under Monken, Watson is getting the benefit of the doubt in what might be his final season with the Browns.

What Monken said about Watson

“I think that anytime that you have a player that at one time has exhibited the skillset at an elite level, you’re always going to give them the benefit of the doubt that somehow we’re going to be able to get that out of him,” Monken said.

Todd Monken on Deshaun Watson with the Browns:

“I think that anytime that you have a player that at one time has exhibited the skillset at an elite level, you’re always going to give them the benefit of the doubt that somehow we’re going to be able to get that out of him.” pic.twitter.com/NR3BS9YBUa
— Nick Pedone (@NickPedone12) February 25, 2026

Watson was suspended 11 games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy to start his tenure with the Browns in 2022. In 2023, Watson was limited to just six games after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury against the Baltimore Ravens. His 2024 season ended after rupturing his Achilles in his seventh start of the year.

He ruptured that same Achilles tendon again while rehabbing the injury.

"We took a big swing on Deshaun, and who knows, we hope he has a great year if he gets the starting job," Browns EVP JW Johnson recently said in an exclusive interview with the BIGPLAY Sports Network.

"It's paramount to get a QB. We took a big swing on Deshaun, and who knows, we hope he has a great year if he gets the starting job." #DawgPound @JDubsIII reminds fans that finding the QB of the future is the top priority of the front office/ownership. https://t.co/jLVmVXSrnS pic.twitter.com/EEhOMsRV83
— BIGPLAY Cleveland Show (@BIGPLAYCLEshow) February 25, 2026

After firing Kevin Stefanski following six seasons with the Browns, the team will hope that Monken could get productive quarterback play out of Watson, who is still owed a handsome chunk of his $230 million guaranteed contract. The Browns will likely restructure his contract again before free agency, as Berry noted on Tuesday that the team’s cap situation remains in a good spot.

Watson didn’t play in 2021, when he voluntarily sidelined himself with the Texans. He also missed the entire 2025 season, rehabbing those back-to-back Achilles tears. During his three seasons with the Browns, Watson has thrown 19 touchdown passes compared to 12 interceptions. He was sacked 70 times in those 20 starts for the Browns.

Nobody could’ve predicted that the Watson trade would’ve evolved this poorly.

According to Monken, it’ll be up to Watson to decide whether or not he wins the starting quarterback job moving into the 2026 campaign.

What Monken said about Watson

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