The Cleveland Browns settled their backup quarterback question Sunday, keeping Shedeur Sanders next in line and putting a potential Taylen Green package on hold.
Green was designated the inactive emergency third quarterback for Cleveland’s opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. That leaves Deshaun Watson as the starter and Sanders available to take over after a week of speculation about whether the Browns might use a different arrangement.
The discussion centered on Green’s athleticism and whether it could earn him an active spot alongside Watson. In that scenario, Sanders could have been pushed into the emergency role despite spending the preseason competing for the starting job.
Instead, Cleveland kept its top two quarterbacks available without restrictions. Green remained emergency insurance, with his designation preventing the Browns from inserting him for a handful of designed plays.
It was a possibility the coaching staff had kept alive throughout the week.
“I’ll let Monk (Todd Monken) talk about who’s going to be up,” offensive coordinator Travis Switzer said. “But yeah, he’s a quarterback on our roster, and it’s very well possible.”
Monken did note that keeping three quarterbacks on the game day roster was “a lot.”
Browns Keep Shedeur Sanders Available Behind Deshaun Watson
Finding room for Green required the Browns to weigh an offensive wrinkle against depth elsewhere on the game-day roster. Activating all three quarterbacks would have allowed Cleveland to use Green in specific situations while keeping Sanders ready to run the offense. But that would have cost an active spot at another position.
The other possibility was dressing Watson and Green as the two active quarterbacks, with Sanders designated as the emergency third option.
That approach carried a risk. An emergency quarterback can enter only when both active quarterbacks are unavailable because of injury or disqualification. Sanders, therefore, would not have been available simply because Watson struggled. And if Watson went down, Green would have been the first quarterback called upon to take over.
Sanders offered more experience in that situation after starting seven games as a rookie. His season had its uneven stretches, but asking him to guide the offense presented a different proposition than asking Green to do the same.
Browns Inactives Force Rookie Into Starting Lineup
Green wasn’t the only notable name on Cleveland’s inactive list. Starting right guard Teven Jenkins was also unavailable, putting rookie Austin Barber into the lineup for his NFL debut.
Jenkins was ruled out Friday after suffering a back injury during the week. Barber had already been pushing him for the job, with right guard remaining an unsettled spot as the opener approached.
“His development has been impressive. He’s wired the right way,” Switzer said of Barber.
Now, Barber gets his opportunity with Watson counting on a rebuilt offensive line to keep him upright. The rookie will have a chance to make his case for keeping the job even when Jenkins returns.
Linebacker Justin Jefferson, cornerbacks Noah Igbinoghene and Toriano Pride Jr., and safety Daniel Thomas rounded out the Browns’ inactives alongside Green, Jenkins and Brailsford.
Browns Make Final Shedeur Sanders Call Before Week 1 Kickoff