In the wake of another forgettable last campaign, when they finished with a 5-12 regular season record, the Cleveland Browns pressed the restart button by hiring the new coach, Todd Monken. Heading to the new season, the franchise has three quarterback options, yet there is no definitive starter. The new HC, however, cleared the air about the QB situation on Tuesday.

“Todd Monken has spoken to Deshaun Watson, but he hasn’t been around as much,” said ESPN NFL analyst Peter Schrager on a recent episode of the Pat McAfee Show. “Shedeur Sanders has been there every single day, and Dillon Gabriel hasn’t been there. I would say Shedeur Sanders is in the lead spot right now.”

Furthermore, Monken himself put forward a similar idea without directly addressing it. During the NFL annual meeting in Phoenix, the 60-year-old talked about Shedeur Sanders, saying he has been working out, showing up in the building, and putting in the hard work this offseason. In contrast, Dillon Gabriel hasn’t been making the same effort.

“As far as I know, he has not,” Monken said. “I have not seen Dillon yet.”

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Earlier in the offseason, general manager Andrew Berry mentioned the continued growth of Shedeur Sanders once he began working with the team. The numbers may not show it, but he has led the Cleveland Browns to back-to-back wins in the AFC North to close the year, stood his ground against the top pick in the draft, Cam Ward, and brought a vertical component to the offense, which the team has needed.

It’s unlikely that Todd Monken didn’t outline his plan for the position when speaking to the leadership. Though he may not have named a starting quarterback, his approach indicates that there is already a clear direction in mind.

Rather than resolving the situation early, the Browns are choosing to push their young quarterback, sending the message that nothing will be handed to him. In keeping the young quarterback in a competition with a more experienced one, the team is challenging the mindset and ability of the quarterback to earn the position.

Sanders was a fifth-round pick from the 2025 Draft. Although he initially remained a backup, he received his first start in Week 11, replacing Dillon Gabriel, who was dealing with a concussion. Under the 24-year-old, the franchise recorded a 3-5 record – a performance that did little to justify his place as a starter in the next campaign.

Although he showed glimpses of his talent against the Las Vegas Raiders (209 passing yards) and Tennessee Titans (364 passing yards), the majority of his season was underwhelming, with a total of 1,400 passing yards and an alarming 10 interceptions.

Likewise, Dillon Gabriel, who was drafted in the third round of the 2025 Draft, was Sanders’ competition last season, starting ahead of him at the beginning. After a stellar collegiate campaign, he was considered a top-rated prospect, but he failed to exceed expectations in the big league.

With Gabriel leading the offense, the Browns recorded a disappointing 1-9 record, while he managed less than 1,000 passing yards before suffering a concussion. Given how the franchise fared with him, Monken is unlikely to hand him the starting role, especially early in the season.

The coach could look to Deshaun Watson as another viable option, who is a veteran and has been associated with the franchise since 2022. Despite his experience, the three-time Pro-Bowler’s career at the Huntington Bank Field has been hampered by suspension (2022) and injuries, as he also missed the entire last season because of the ruptured Achilles tendon.

Compared to Sanders and Gabriel, Watson’s overall record as a starting quarterback is fractionally better, with a 9-10 record. Playing a total of 19 games for the organization, he has 3,365 passing yards, which is statistically stronger compared to the other two quarterbacks. Hence, a healthy Watson could make a significant impact on the offense, which is why the Browns owner, Jimmy Haslam, believes he could be the starter, even though the coach expressed the opposite.

Cleveland Browns owner wants Deshaun Watson as QB1 over Shedeur Sanders

The Cleveland Browns owner, Jimmy Haslam, seemingly prefers Deshaun Watson over other quarterbacks of the franchise, which he recently made clear by talking to a group of local reporters.

“Deshaun has a great chance, fresh start, offensive-minded coach, who has in his past been able to work with all kinds of different quarterbacks and make them successful,” said Haslam.

60-year-old Monken previously worked with several NFL teams as the offensive coordinator, maximizing the full potential of the quarterbacks. He previously worked with Lamar Jackson at the Baltimore Ravens (2023, 2024), Jameis Winston (2016-2018) at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Baker Mayfield (2019) at the Cleveland Browns.

Therefore, Haslam would be hoping Monken could recreate the same magic with Watson if he indeed becomes a starter. Should he remain completely fit and play the entire season, he might become a significant concern for the defensive units in the league, and all of his past full seasons give credibility to the owner’s trust.

The 30-year-old played full seasons for the Houston Texans in 2018, 2019, and 2020, when he won three consecutive Pro Bowl accolades. What’s more, he threw 4,165 (2018), 3,852 (2019), and career-best 4,823 (2020) passing yards in those campaigns. Only time will tell whether the owner’s prediction proves right or if coach Monken favors Sanders in the 2026 campaign.