Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson QB1 Battle Updated by Browns HC, Timeline Revealed amid Rumors

Despite rumors of Deshaun Watson leading Shedeur Sanders in the battle to be named the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback in 2026, head coach Todd Monken suggested Friday that he is nowhere near making that decision.

During an appearance on the Ken Carman Show (h/t Zac Jackson of The Athletic), Monken said he would "would love to" have a starting quarterback in place before training camp, but added, "I'm not there yet, so I can't say that. We've been on the field three days."

Monken's comments came after Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot reported this week that Watson "emerged from the Browns' voluntary minicamp last week with an edge over Shedeur Sanders in the two-man quarterback competition—and has the inside track to be named the Browns QB1."

Cabot also noted that Monken "hopes to declare—or at least identify—his starter by the end of Browns minicamp June 9-11."

Watson has not played since Week 7 of the 2024 NFL season due to a torn Achilles, which was later re-torn, costing him the entirety of the 2025 campaign.

With Watson on the shelf, the Browns entered last season with veteran Joe Flacco and a pair of rookies in Sanders and Dillon Gabriel at the quarterback position.

Flacco began the season as the starter before getting traded to the Cincinnati Bengals, and then Gabriel started six games before giving way to Sanders.

A fifth-round draft pick out of Colorado, Sanders started the final seven games last season, going 3-4, while completing 56.6 percent of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and rushing for 169 yards and one score.

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While Sanders was the starting quarterback for three of the Browns' five wins last season, he will undoubtedly have to display better decision-making skills in order to win the starting job this season, as he threw 10 picks and took 23 sacks during his rookie campaign.

As for Watson, he has a massive experience edge and a history of success dating back to his time with the Houston Texans when he earned three consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2018 to 2020.

However, Watson has come nowhere close to replicating what he did in Houston during his time with the Browns.

Over the three seasons Watson played in Cleveland from 2022 to 2024, Watson went 9-10 as a starter and completed 61.2 percent of his passing attempts for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, while rushing for 465 yards and three scores.

The dynamic element to his game that was evident in Houston has yet to translate to Cleveland, but he is undoubtedly less prone to mistakes than Sanders has been thus far in his young NFL career.

If Monken wants a quarterback who limits mistakes and plays to a talented defense and strong running game, then Watson may be his guy, but if he wants more upside and big-play ability, then Sanders has a legitimate chance.