New Cleveland Browns coach Todd Monken certainly has a difficult path ahead. He is an offensive coach, a guy who has been an offensive coordinator in the NFL for seven seasons–three with Tampa Bay, the last three years with Baltimore and one forgettable year with the 6-10 Browns under Freddie Kitchens. He’s taken over the worst offense in the league for two years running, one that has brought in three offensive linemen to replace departing offensive linemen, while doing painfully little to address skill-position needs.
But again, Monken got the job because of his offensive chops. So he’s expected to bolster the offense, even if the personnel has not changed all that much. There are times when he speaks with the media and it appears that he’s trying to convince himself that all will be well.
That seemed to be the case when he spoke with Kevin Clark of ESPN and seemed to make the case for a big upswing in quarterback play for the Browns.
Shedeur Sanders vs. Deshaun Watson Is Browns’ Big Offseason Question
We know well the Browns situation under center at this point. There’s Shedeur Sanders, who was overmatched at time but did show some positive flashes in his seven starts as a rookie. There’s Deshaun Watson, who has had two Achilles tendon surgeries and was in the midst of his worst year when he last played, in 2024. And there’s Dillon Gabriel clinging to his roster spot.
But, Monken said, “Obviously, Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun – the quarterback position, if there’s not a huge leap to be had there? I mean, shoot, Deshaun is healthy again, Shedeur and Dillon are one-year players. There will be unbelievable growth in that room, I am excited to get started with those guys.”
Todd Monken Praises Shedeur Sanders Playmaking, Confidence
Sanders threw for 1,400 yards in eight games last year, completing 56.6% of his passes and throwing seven touchdowns, with a whopping 10 interceptions. His quarterback rating was a measly 68.1. That hardly screams Browns quarterback savior.
But Monken had a positive spin on Sanders.
“I think you see playmaking ability. I think you see a player who is confident in his skillset,” Monken said. “When you see that, playmaking ability and inner confidence, you say, OK there is something to work with there. That’s the thing that excites you. I said this morning, 15 or 20 years ago, they would have said that Shedeur Sanders is athletic. They would have said he could escape. But the game has changed so much that now they say he is not a mobile quarterback.”
Browns Seeking Leadership at QB
All that raises some Browns questions around Sanders–especially, how much does Monken value confidence? Certainly, during his time at Colorado, he showed a knack for leadership, for instilling confidence in his teammates. There was a case to be made for that in Sanders’ time with the Browns last season–despite his numbers, the Browns were 3-4 in his starts.
Will Monken and his staff value that over Watson’s level of experience? Remember, offensive coordinator Travis Switzer said last month that the staff values the idea of having a quarterback who can throw four interceptions in the first half and still get his teammates to believe they can win in the second half. “I don’t know if you can coach that,” Switzer said.
It’s hard to say, assuming the QB1 race comes down to Watson vs. Sanders, if Sanders has a confidence advantage. Watson has had much more NFL success, of course, with the Texans, but in his last iteration with the Browns in 2024, he was 1-6 and looked a bit defeated by his situation even before the tore his Achilles.
So, advantage Sanders, maybe?
Browns’ Todd Monken Shedeur Sanders Comment Raises Questions