Todd Monken Said the Quiet Part Out Loud About Cleveland Browns Quarterback Situation

During the Cleveland Browns' two-hour OTA session on Wednesday, the team practiced at walk through speed, oftentimes not even throwing the football in order to install run schemes as new head coach Todd Monken taught his guys how to get lined up.

About half way through the practice, Dillon Gabriel threw an interception to undrafted free agent Michael Coats Jr. in the team’s 7-on-7 session. Shortly after, Shedeur Sanders threw a tight window pass intended for Jerry Jeudy that was tipped into the air and intercepted by new Browns cornerback Myles Bryant.

Even though Monken raved about Sanders’ growth in his second offseason with the Browns, he was displeased with interceptions in that setting.

“There’s no pass rush,” Monken said about the two interceptions that were thrown in 7-on-7. “It’s embarrassing.”

I asked #Browns Todd Monken about the defensive plays made today—a couple of interceptions and a forced fumble.

“Yeah, we threw interceptions in 7-on-7 for God’s sake. I mean, who does that? There’s no pass rush. I mean, it’s embarrassing.” pic.twitter.com/YVn8P0IMi7
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) May 21, 2026

Embarrassing would certainly be a word to use in order to describe Cleveland’s current quarterback situation. And perhaps, Monken is trying to say the quiet part out loud before training camp even starts.

The first-time head coach applauded Deshaun Watson, continuing the organization’s efforts to soft launch the controversial quarterback back to fans. Monken praised Watson’s work ethic and drive to return to a top tier form, pointing out that he’s finally healthy and his athleticism has been noticeable.

Watson had the highlight throw on what wasn’t a banner day for Cleveland’s quarterbacks on Wednesday. Sandwiched between his viral pass to rookie receiver Denzel Boston was a near interception and a pass that hovered multiple yards behind Jeudy. Sanders and Gabriel each threw a pick on a day that probably wasn’t intended to feature Cleveland’s quarterbacks.

But the Browns can’t be naive about the situation that their quarterback room is in, and Monken probably realizes that.

He’s 60 years old and has been around football for 40 of those years. As an offensive coordinator in the NFL and college football, Monken probably knows good quarterback play versus poor quarterback play just about as well as anyone.

So to use the word embarrassing is telling.

Watson missed all of last year rehabbing his twice-ruptured Achilles tendon. That’s his second full year away from football since he led the league in passing during the 2020 season with the Houston Texans. Since then, he also missed 11 games for violating the league's personal conduct policy. Even when Watson was finally healthy in 2024, he was one of the worst quarterbacks in the league prior to his first Achilles tear in Week 7, which was the last time he's been on the field for the Browns.

But under a new staff, Monken is “open to a clean slate” for Watson and “all of his players.”

Another one of those players with a clean slate under a new coaching staff is Sanders, last year’s polarizing fifth-round rookie that showed flashes during his first seven starts in the NFL.

But despite those flashes, Sanders finished 2025 with more interceptions (10) than touchdown passes (seven) and was sacked over 20 times. Due to ex-Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski’s mismanagement of last year’s quarterback room, Sanders didn’t get many reps last offseason. He’s now learning his second NFL playbook, when reports from FOX Sports indicated that he struggled to learn the first one.

By giving Watson more snaps than Sanders, and already indicating that the 30-year-old quarterback is ahead in the race, the Browns are proving that they might not be as giddy about the former Colorado quarterback as his passionate fans are.

The rest of the room is Gabriel, who unimpressed under Stefanski during his six starts and Taylen Green, an athletic sixth-round rookie who needs to be refined as a passer.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry has done a great job of adding talent to this offense. A retooled offensive line should protect whoever starts at quarterback and a receiving trio of Jeudy, Boston and first-round pick KC Concepcion is way better than what the team had last year.

But as has been the case since 1999, the Browns might still be searching for that answer at quarterback, regardless of who they name to be the Week 1 starter.

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