General manager Andrew Berry is trying to change the culture of the Cleveland Browns, and the quarterback room is ground zero for that transformation.
The Browns took several big steps in their efforts to turn the page to Todd Monken’s first chapter as the franchise’s new head coach by way of a fantastic NFL draft over the weekend, but QB wasn’t an area that got any attention beyond a sixth-round flyer on uber-athlete Taylen Green of Arkansas.
Still, Berry spoke about a shift in the position group from 2025 to 2026 that is hard not to interpret as a slight against former head coach Kevin Stefanski, or at least a critique of the atmosphere he fostered in the room last season.
“We want to see the players in that (QB) room operate under what I would say is like a healthier ecosystem for the position,” Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports reported, per TheDawgsPodcast Instagram account on Monday, April 27.
Browns Intend to Create Clearer Positional Hierarchy in QB Room
GettyQuarterback Shedeur Sanders of the Cleveland Browns.
One primary difference is that the Browns are heading into offseason work this spring with a less muddled quarterback hierarchy.
Last year, four QBs including Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders — the latter two of whom were third- and fifth-round rookies, respectively — were all vying for snaps and the starting job across a months-long competition.
Team insiders like Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com have indicated this time around that the competition is pretty clearly between Sanders and Deshaun Watson, and Monken intends to name a clear QB1 heading into training camp this summer.
Watson was not in the mix last offseason due to a lengthy rehabilitation program after a twice-torn Achilles tendon.
Todd Monken’s Relationship With Shedeur Sanders, Browns’ Roster Improvements Should Create Better Environment
GettyHead coach Todd Monken of the Cleveland Browns.
Another difference is likely to be how Monken and the Browns approach Sanders’ candidacy for the starting job, both in 2026 and moving forward.
Stefanski went with Flacco to begin last season and transitioned to Gabriel after a 1-3 start, with Berry ultimately deciding to trade Flacco to the AFC North Division rival Cincinnati Bengals, reportedly against Stefanski’s wishes.
The former Cleveland coach stuck stubbornly to Gabriel, despite calls for Sanders from huge swaths of the fan base drawn to his personality, charisma, name recognition and collegiate success.
Sanders got his shot after Gabriel suffered a concussion against the Baltimore Ravens in November. Sanders appeared in eight games total, starting seven of them (3-4) and threw for 1,400 yards, seven TDs and 10 INTs on 56.6 percent passing.
Monken, who was the offensive coordinator for the Ravens over the past three years, was part of a group that wanted to select Sanders early in Round 5 to slot in as a backup behind Lamar Jackson. Sanders and Monken appear early on to have a healthy, cordial relationship built on mutual respect — based on comments from each man about the other.
Beyond that, Berry has strung together two impressive draft classes and, along with Monken, rebuilt the offensive line into a more complete unit in 2026, even despite the losses of perennial Pro Bowlers Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller at the guard positions.
All of that is to say that with a deeper and more competent O-line unit, plus several young playmakers, the Browns can now truly evaluate what they have in Sanders before heading into a 2027 draft class stacked with quarterback talent, which may also be what Berry was referring to with regards to Cleveland’s improved “ecosystem.”
Browns GM Berry Appears to Take Shot at Kevin Stefanski With QB Comment