BEREA, Ohio — Ahead of Saturday’s practice, first-year Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken called an unexpected audible from what had been a clear rotation in the team’s perpetual quarterback competition. He gave Deshaun Watson a full practice with the No. 1 offense.
On Monday, Shedeur Sanders was back in the huddle first. The battle, apparently, is still on.
Monken didn’t give a clear explanation for Saturday’s decision, but he did double down on some previous statements by saying the staff is still evaluating things: that Watson and Sanders have handled the competition well and that he still envisions one of the two starting Saturday’s preseason opener in Chicago and the other starting preseason game No. 2 versus Buffalo.
“As long as we’re still sharing reps, it’s a competition,” Monken said.
Browns QB battle remains up for grabs early at training camp
Zac Jackson
There’s still no conclusion, at least partly because there’s been no clear winner or even leader through the first 10 training camp practices. And though the one-day change seemed especially notable because Cleveland finished the offensive installation stage of things last week, Monken said he’s not ready to name a starter for the preseason opener. He remains excited to see how both quarterbacks handle the switch from the basics to full-speed, situation-based work this week and in Saturday’s game.
Sanders took all of the No. 1 reps Monday. Monken repeating that both will start a preseason game is further confirmation that the competition likely carries through next week. Monken previously said his plan to give each a preseason game was “subject to change,” and it absolutely still is. But after Watson had his best day in a full-pads practice Saturday, Monday’s lighter session offered no real clues on who might be pulling away.
“They’ve been great, and I think they’ve both improved — I’ve always said that about Shedeur,” Monken said. “But even over the last week or so, Deshaun has played better. He’s looked better, he’s made better decisions. I think some of that grows, like all of us, as they have success. Their confidence grows with the success they have every day.”
Will Monken declare a winner soon?
Monken said rookies Denzel Boston and Spencer Fano have locked up starting jobs at wide receiver and left tackle, respectively. The Browns still have a battle at right guard between KT Leveston and Teven Jenkins, and multiple wide receivers and tight ends are competing for snaps and roles.
Going back to the winter, Monken said he’d hoped to have a starting quarterback by now. But after the spring sessions, Monken said Watson and Sanders both deserved a chance to compete in longer practices and the preseason, and that part hasn’t changed.
The Browns have their first preseason game directly ahead, then still have three practices next week ahead of their Aug. 20 joint session with the Buffalo Bills, and that always loomed as maybe the most important evaluation day of the summer.
On timing, Monken going to Watson at the end of last week would have made sense if he thought he had clearly won the job. And after a rough first week, Watson began posting better days, highlighted by a series of explosive plays in the vertical pass game on Saturday.
Monken has said Watson’s NFL experience should put him ahead of Sanders “from an operational standpoint” and in areas such as commanding the huddle, effectively using cadence and diagnosing what the defense may be showing.
Earlier this month, Monken said Sanders is behind Dillon Gabriel from an operational standpoint, too, based upon Gabriel’s experience in three different college programs that all ran different schemes and used different terminology. Gabriel, who’s been the clear No. 3 since the spring, has started to get consistent No. 2 reps in most practices over the last week.
Over the last several camp sessions, the Browns have gone away from what Monken calls two-spotting and an early-practice instructional period with Watson running one offensive huddle and Sanders running another. Practice tempo has picked up. After Watson threw six interceptions over the first four practices, ball security from all three quarterbacks has improved. If Sanders hopes to win the job, he’ll have to show his new head coach that he’s improved with the operational aspect of things.
“I’ve been highly impressed over the last four months that I’ve been around (Sanders) with how far he’s come as a player, and he’s only going to continue to get better,” Monken said. “There’s a lot to take in when you’re installing. We got through the spring, then we were gone for six weeks, and then you start back up again in a new system.
“I think you’ll continue to see his operation and mechanics improve, and I think that’s the biggest part (that needs to improve) right now — his in and out of the huddle, getting to the line of scrimmage, eliminating that anxiety, his anxiety and my anxiety.”
Maybe Monken truly is torn between going with experience over youth in an offense that’s new to everyone involved, and will have an offensive line that’s still in flux and is likely to have four starters who didn’t play in Cleveland last year. Even with 11 camp practices done, the best stuff of the summer from an evaluation standpoint is yet to come.
What’s next?
I’m not buying Monken’s rambling explanation of how the Saturday switcheroo happened. I think Monken wanted to see Watson that day — which is his right — and that, for the most part, he saw what he wanted to. Watson had his best practice, and Sanders in his first full competitive period was also sharp.
Monday’s practice was a mixed bag from both. The red zone portion was good, and the rest of practice had more misses than hits in the pass game.
I’ve long thought Watson would get the start in the first preseason game, and I think Monken would have announced that Monday had Saturday’s events not presented such mixed messaging. Watson has been first in every line since the spring, and he needs to play. Monken currently isn’t committing to anything past one series for the starters in the first preseason game, and that actually strengthens my opinion.
Watson can go one series and maybe two as he needs to shake the rust — and potentially build some momentum. The starting offensive line won’t play more than two series, so then Sanders can come in and get work behind the No. 2 offensive line and potentially get four or five series and the chance to show the coaching staff he’s improving from an operational standpoint.
If Monken really doesn’t have a pick now, he should absolutely wait for a game setting and probably for the joint practice opportunity. The Browns still have three weeks from the Buffalo preseason game to their Sept. 13 season opener in Jacksonville, and the opportunities directly ahead could give both quarterbacks a chance to make strong final statements.
