Todd Monken didn’t exactly validate the latest report on Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson — but he also didn’t shut it down.
Watson is battling Shedeur Sanders — with Dillon Gabriel also in the mix — for the starting job. Early offseason reps have tilted in the veteran’s favor, per Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, who reported that Watson has quickly positioned himself as the frontrunner for the QB1 role.
“Deshaun 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 said. “The Browns have said that their quarterback decision will be based on performance alone as opposed to development and a potential high pick in next year’s QB-rich draft class, and if the season started tomorrow, Watson would be the starter.”
Monken made it clear that outside narratives won’t influence how the competition unfolds inside the building.
“If that’s going to bother me or it’s going to bother Shedeur or Deshaun, they have no chance of being either the head coach here or the QB of the Cleveland Browns,” Monken said on 92.3 The Fan. “It’s the world we live in. What we do on the field is what matters most. You want to stop the narrative? Play well. Want to stop the narrative? Win.”
Browns Coach Todd Monken Not Playing Into Rumors
Cabot’s report didn’t land quietly. Shedeur Sanders’ brother, Shilo Sanders, pushed back on social media and drew backlash for a sexist remark, adding another layer to the situation.
Monken made it clear he’s not letting outside noise bleed into the building.
“That’s a man making a comment on social media. That’s someone reporting something they believe. That’s their opinion — not mine,” Monken said. “I didn’t say that. Our daily inner workings with the QBs and the players is going to mean more than what’s said outside of there.”
Monken has been very careful when discussing his quarterback situation publicly. He’s declined to give Watson or Sanders the edge, complementing both on their abilities. While Monken is a first-time head coach, he’s got decades of coaching experience and knows how to deal with the media frenzy.
“I think there are levels of being objective. I’m not Patrick from SpongeBob. I don’t live under a rock. I hear things. I see things,” Monken said. “I’ve learned over the years in coaching, your job is to let it play itself out.”
Browns Coach Todd Monken Clarifies QB Timeline
Monken has made it clear that he wants to have a decision made at quarterback sooner rather than later. But he also noted that the Browns have only been on the field for a limited time since he’s been hired. Monken did not disclose a firm timeline for the decision.
“I would love to have that but I’m not there yet,” Monken said. “We’ve been on the field three practices. There’s only so many reps you can get. You start to target who is gonna start opening day. But that can change even if someone is gonna get two-thirds of reps or one-third of reps because you’re still gonna play preseason games.”
The Browns will continue their offseason workouts, with the next major checkpoint coming in June when the team kicks off mandatory minicamp.
Browns Make Clear Statement on QB Situation After Deshaun Watson Update