Todd Monken Won't Commit to Naming Browns Starting Quarterback Despite Speculation

It’s the age-old tale that the Cleveland Browns can’t ever seem to figure out their quarterback position.

But this time, there’s a new head coach at the center of the discussion: Todd Monken, who was brought in this past offseason to fill the void left by Kevin Stefanski.

Although he would’ve liked to stay out of the controversial spotlight a bit longer, the looming questions surrounding whether Shedeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson will be the starting quarterback have intensified this week tenfold.

On Friday, May 1, though, Monken was able to put the concerns to rest as he appeared on 92.3 The Fan to discuss what he is currently thinking. He was asked if he plans on naming a starting quarterback before spring training, which has been a hot topic on the internet recently.

"Well, I would love to have that," Monken said about having his starting quarterback named. "I'm not there yet, so I can't say that. We've been on the field three practices, which was awesome. And to get out there with our players. I was talking to Carson yesterday. He said, it feels so weird that we got from phase one to get on the field and then now we're back off for three weeks.

"But it's always changing based on what you see. I don't have a history with any of our players. I know where this is heading. I mean, but I don't have a history with any of the players. They're all external to me."

"I would love to have that, I'm not there yet. We've been on the field 3 practices... There's only so many reps you get, you start to target who is gonna start opening day. That can change even if someone is gonna get 2/3 of reps or 1/3 of reps because you're still gonna play… pic.twitter.com/Thl7p9bbHH
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) May 1, 2026

The response from Monken shows that, while still being a new face in the building, he is trying to learn the playstyles of the players on the roster and see where everyone is at development-wise.

With Deshaun Watson missing roughly two seasons with an Achilles injury and Shedeur Sanders being a relatively big question mark heading into his sophomore campaign, the job for the No. 1 spot in the depth chart at quarterback really is wide open. Both players have pros and cons, with both being at different points in their careers as well.

Monken went on to say that he is still looking at this team from a wide lens, and as the offseason continues to trot forward, he will be able to gauge who the favorite to have the job on Opening Day will be.

"So the point is, what I've seen after three days, okay, that gives us a little bit of a 40,000-foot view of where we're at," he continued. "But that can change once we get back on the field for four weeks at the end of the spring, we'll have a better idea then. But there's only so many reps you get. You've got to start to target towards who's going to start opening day.

"Now, that can still change. That can change even if someone's getting two-thirds of the reps to someone getting a third of the reps because you're still going to play preseason games. You're still going to want to see those guys, that quarterback, and see how they play."

In the 2026 NFL Draft, the Browns decided to add another quarterback to the mix as well, drafting Arkansas' Taylen Green in the sixth round. While he is unlikely to compete for the top spots in the depth chart, Dillon Gabriel, last year's third-round selection, is also still on the roster.

Each of them will also be working against Watson and Sanders for time on the field, especially in training camp.

For now, speculation will always continue to flow through chat logs and social media feeds, but Monken is making it known that he isn't in a position yet to have a full grasp on where the quarterback position is at.

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