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One of Todd Monken’s main priorities as new head coach of the Cleveland Browns is figuring out who will be his starting quarterback in Week 1.
Monken has three options to watch this season — Deshaun Watson, who was unavailable all of last season due to injury; Dillon Gabriel, the team’s 2025 third-round pick; and Shedeur Sanders, the Browns’ starter at the end of last season.
Monken hopes one of those quarterbacks can stand out over time. But all eyes will be on Sanders, who started the final seven games of the 2025 season for the Browns, to emerge as the starter for Monken.
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Todd Monken speaks to the media after being introduced as head coach of the Cleveland Browns during a press conference at the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on February 3, 2026 in Berea, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
During the NFL Scouting Combine this week, Monken was asked about his quarterbacks, specifically whether he sees Sanders as the team’s starter.
“I think what you’re seeing is elite playmaking ability,” Monken said, according to the New York Post. “It’s in him. You’ve seen it, we’ve seen it. You saw it in college. You saw it on tape last year. Sure, there’s a ways to go, but what rookie doesn’t? What freshman doesn’t have a long way to go? I’m excited to get going with him and all of our quarterbacks and all of our players.”
Sanders went 3-4 over the seven starts, while Gabriel was 1-5 after taking over for Joe Flacco, who was traded to the division rival Cincinnati Bengals after an injury to starter Joe Burrow.
It’s worth noting that the Baltimore Ravens, with Monken as offensive coordinator under former head coach John Harbaugh, wanted to sign Sanders to back up Lamar Jackson, the team’s two-time MVP quarterback. However, Sanders made it known that he wanted to go somewhere in the draft where he had a chance to be the team’s starter.
Todd Monken speaks to the media after being introduced as head coach of the Cleveland Browns during a news conference at the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on February 3, 2026 in Berea, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Sanders was never going to leapfrog Jackson on the depth chart in 2025 and beyond, so the Browns eventually took him in the fifth round after a shocking drop down the draft board last April.
Watson is in the final year of what has been a disastrous $250 million, fully guaranteed contract for the former Houston Texans ace signal caller. While he played in three Pro Bowls during his time in Houston, Watson has only played in 17 games during his time in Cleveland, which included suspensions on top of his injuries.
Still, Monken believes a player who has shown elite talent on the field, regardless of when it was, deserves a shot.
“I think you always want to give them the benefit of the doubt that somehow we might be able to get it out of them again,” Monken explained. “I think that’s how you have to look at every player. I’m going to let it play out.”
Shedeur Sanders of the Cleveland Browns stands for the national anthem before a preseason game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on August 8, 2025 in Charlotte, NC (Logan Bowles/Getty Images)
In his 17 games with the Browns, Watson is 9-10, including a 1-6 mark in 2024 before an Achilles injury ended his season.
Sanders threw for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his seven starts for Cleveland last season. He was eventually named a Pro Bowl replacement.
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