Shedeur Sanders Defends Browns HC Monken Over Training Camp Snaps, 'Never a Miscommunication'

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders told reporters Wednesday that there wasn't any miscommunication between him and head coach Todd Monken regarding whether he would take snaps with the first-stringers on Saturday as he continues his starting quarterback battle with Deshaun Watson.

To set the scene, Monken told reporters on Saturday that Sanders would be taking reps with the starters for that day's practice.

However, Monken then changed his mind, and Watson got first-string reps while Sanders worked with the backups.

Monken explained what happened to reporters before Monday's practice, per Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.

"It really was Shedeur on Saturday took the ones in the walk-through," Monken said. "So I anticipated him being with the ones. When I walked out (to practice), guys grabbed me and said, 'hey, the last couple days we've been kind of looking at it. Shedeur's gotten a few more reps with the ones.' That's all it was. At the moment, I was like, 'yeah, sure. We'll flip it and then next week we'll go the other way.'"

Monken added: "I sure as hell wasn't thinking about coming back in here and telling all you guys that I was going to change my mind because I really don't have to. Being the head coach, I can kind of do that."

Ultimately, whatever happened Saturday seems to be much ado about nothing. The big questions right now, of course, are developments leading to Monken's eventual QB1 decision.

The three-game preseason looms for the Browns, who visit the Chicago Bears to kick things off on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET. They'll host the Buffalo Bills the following Saturday before closing the preseason on Aug. 27 at home vs. the New England Patriots.

Monken told reporters about some plans on Wednesday regarding Watson and Sanders' playing time over the first two weeks.

Monken made his decision about who will start which game but told reporters he would let the quarterbacks know after Wednesday's practice.

Monken is in his first season as the Browns' head coach after serving as the Baltimore Ravens' offensive coordinator.

The QB1 question is one of the two biggest queries for the Browns this year alongside how the defense will fare without reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, who was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in a blockbuster deal.

So Monken has a big decision on his hands shortly. He'll soon have a few preseason games' worth of tape to go over as the Sept. 13 regular season opener at the Jacksonville Jaguars looms.