New Browns Coach Todd Monken Addresses Sheduer Sanders’s Status as Starting QB

The Browns introduced Todd Monken as the franchise’s new head coach on Tuesday. It didn’t take long for the veteran coach to be asked about the most important position in sports: quarterback.

Cleveland shuffled through numerous quarterbacks last season, starting with Joe Flacco before trading him to the Bengals. Dillon Gabriel took over in his stead before he got hurt and was replaced by Shedeur Sanders. Sanders wound up earning the nod down the stretch of the team’s 5-12 season and started seven games; he was named a Pro Bowler after the season (as was Flacco). Coach Kevin Stefanski was fired after the season and Monken was named his replacement.

During his opening press conference on Tuesday Monken was asked if he was entering the offseason with Sanders as the starting quarterback. He didn’t offer a definitive answer and instead said the depth chart across the roster has yet to be determined.

“Like any position on the team, that’s still to be determined,” Monken said. “Am I excited about Shedeur? Am I excited about all the quarterbacks in the room? Am I excited to coach this football team? Absolutely. I can’t wait for them to get back and for us to get started.”

#Browns Todd Monken on Shedeur Sanders and QB room pic.twitter.com/33RR98kA4k
— Fred Greetham (@FredGreetham9) February 3, 2026

A diplomatic answer from Monken, as well as one that probably should have been expected. No quarterback in Cleveland made a strong case to be considered the 2026 starter with their play last season. Gabriel and Sanders both struggled in the way rookie QBs typically struggle and failed to rise above expectations throughout the year. And, lest anybody forget, the Browns still employ Deshaun Watson as a possible option too.

In 2025 Sanders threw for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns to go with 10 interceptions, completing 56.6% of his passes; the Browns went 3-4 with him under center. Gabriel went 1-5 in his six games under center and totaled 937 yards passing with seven touchdowns and two interceptions to pair with a 59.5% completion rate. Watson spent all of last year rehabbing from a twice-torn Achilles tendon but hasn’t played like the star quarterback he once was at any point with the Browns since coming to Cleveland in 2022.

Those are merely the in-house options. There’s a very real possibility the Browns draft another quarterback or sign a journeyman in free agency. It’s not yet clear which direction Monken and incumbent GM Andrew Berry want to go, and this press conference was not very illuminating in that regard.

it won’t be the last time Monken is asked about Sanders, that’s for sure.

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