The Cleveland Browns could have a quarterback wrinkle waiting for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but aren’t ready to show their cards just yet.
Browns coach Todd Monken said Friday he remained uncertain whether Cleveland would dress three quarterbacks for Sunday’s opener. That keeps the door open for rookie Taylen Green to join starter Deshaun Watson and backup Shedeur Sanders on the game-day roster.
Offensive coordinator Travis Switzer fueled that possibility Thursday when asked whether Green could be active.
“I’ll let Monk (Todd Monken) talk about who’s going to be up,” Switzer said. “But yeah, he’s a quarterback on our roster, and it’s very well possible.”
Green could give Cleveland a change of pace with his athletic ability, particularly in situations where the defense must account for the quarterback keeping the ball. Having Watson, Sanders and Green active would allow the Browns to explore those possibilities while keeping their top backup available.
But carrying all three would leave one fewer spot for depth or special teams elsewhere. The other route would involve making Sanders the emergency quarterback, a designation that comes with significant restrictions.
Under NFL rules, an emergency quarterback can enter only if both active quarterbacks are injured or disqualified. Benching a quarterback does not qualify.
Monken previously indicated Sanders would be active as Watson’s backup, answering “I do” when asked about that plan earlier in the week.
Browns Would Take a Risk Limiting Shedeur Sanders
Making Sanders the emergency option would be a substantial gamble for a team counting on Watson to stay healthy. Watson has appeared in just 19 games for Cleveland since arriving in 2022. He missed all of last season after undergoing two Achilles surgeries and is now preparing to lead the offense again after another lengthy absence.
Green could help the Browns manufacture a big play with a package built around his athleticism. Asking him to take over the offense if Watson goes down would be a much larger responsibility.
Sanders is the more sensible insurance policy. He competed for the starting job throughout the offseason and remains second on Cleveland’s depth chart. Keeping him immediately available would give the Browns a more proven option if they needed someone to finish the game.
There is room for both roles if Cleveland activates all three. Sanders could remain the first option to replace Watson while Green handles specific plays designed to take advantage of his speed. The decision comes down to whether the Browns expect enough from Green’s package to justify going lighter at another position.
“If we could afford it, it’d be nice to have five or six quarterbacks up,” Monken said. “But three is a lot.”
Travis Switzer Sees Progress from Browns QB Deshaun Watson
While Green’s possible involvement has added some intrigue, Switzer offered an encouraging assessment of the offense with Watson receiving the bulk of the first-team work.
“We’re seeing just more comfortability with the guys that he’s out there with, and then also with what we’re doing. He repeats things in meetings, and it’s like, ‘Hey, you remember this?’ And there’s more recall now, which is good,” Switzer said.” The longer that he’s with us, he’s just going to keep getting more and more comfortable and more familiar with what we’re doing, and that’s going to be good for the whole operation.”
Watson enters the game with a 7-0 record against the Jaguars, most of that coming from his time in the same division as a member of the Houston Texans. That experience is part of why the Browns feel comfortable putting him in charge on the road.
“He’s been around a long time, he’s seen a lot of things,” Switzer said.
Watson and the Browns are an 8.5-point underdog against the Jaguars on the road.
Browns Leave Door Open for QB Surprise in Week 1