Todd Monken Refuses To Name Starting QB After Browns Minicamp

The offseason quarterback competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders will bleed into the summer for the Cleveland Browns.

Back at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, new Browns head coach Todd Monken stated that in a dream world, he’d like to have a starting quarterback determined before the team breaks spring practice.

With mandatory veteran minicamp in the books, Monken wasn’t ready to name a starting quarterback on Thursday.

“I’d love to have it now,” Monken said. “We just don’t.”

The 60-year-old head coach stated that the Browns will open training camp in mid-July by alternating reps for Watson and Sanders to continue their competition. On Tuesday, Watson received a bulk of reps with the starters. On Wednesday, it was Sanders’ turn with the starting offense. The two quarterbacks alternated competitive reps on Thursday, culminating in an announcement from Monken that no decision has been made quite yet.

Browns quarterback situation remains unresolved

“I just don’t see it after the way Sheduer has played and the way Deshaun has played,” Monken said on Tuesday. “They’ve both played well enough to earn the right to compete to start.”

Browns head coach Todd Monken doesn’t plan on naming a starting QB after minicamp on June 11.

“Once we get to the fall, we’ll dissect the reps as we see fit.” pic.twitter.com/98pSRbkVq7
— Nick Pedone (@NickPedone12) June 9, 2026

Even though Monken was impressed by Watson and Sanders throughout the three days of mandatory veteran minicamp and nine voluntary OTA sessions, both passers showed inconsistencies.

Interceptions in seven-on-seven periods without a pass rush caused Monken to use the word "embarrassing" following an OTA session a few weeks ago.

Those turnovers didn’t necessarily stop as mandatory veteran camp came and went. Incompletions, inaccuracies and simulated sacks caused practice to stop several times over the last few weeks.

A lack of announcement following the team’s offseason program likely means one thing – they don’t have a great option at quarterback this season.

Watson is finally healthy, but admitted on Wednesday that he hasn’t been 100% since breaking his shoulder against the Tennessee Titans back in 2023. Even when he was healthy in 2024 before the twice-ruptured Achilles tendon in his right leg, he was one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL during the first six games of that season.

Even Watson admitted that he’s “not the same player” he was back when he led the league in passing in 2020.

While Monken has continued to applaud Sanders for developing throughout this offseason, the polarizing sophomore quarterback said he’s not even viewing this situation as a competition.

"I think the way that ya'll look at things is different than how we look at things,” Sanders said on Wednesday. “We look at coming to practice every day being the best player that we can as an individual and as a good teammate. Ya’ll look at it like a competition."

Shedeur Sanders isn't viewing the Cleveland Browns quarterback situation as a competition.

"I think the way that ya'll look at things is different than how we look at things... That's not really nothing I'm focused on. I'm focused on developing as a player." pic.twitter.com/vuJOJP5LSr
— Nick Pedone (@NickPedone12) June 10, 2026

Sanders is focusing on his development as a quarterback and being a good teammate, which is great news for the Browns. But he’s downplaying the competition, which could also indicate that perhaps Watson already has the job locked up.

The only thing we know for certain is that no announcement has been made and we’ll enter training camp rotating snaps for quarterbacks, which hasn’t proven to be the best way to start a season in previous competitions in Berea.

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