Monken reaffirmed Deshaun Watson as the starter. However, he even went further and said “there were some really good things on film” about Watson. For Browns fans, that’s a head-scratcher.

Yes, Watson had a 46-yard TD pass to rookie Denzel Boston, but he also did nothing much. Hence, for Monken to say that film showed some good things will certainly confuse a lot of people.

Deshaun Watson’s stats in Week 1

The Browns lost 10-34 to the Jaguars, Watson had 16 completions in 22 attempts for 205 passing yards, 38 rushing yards, one TD, one interception and a 97.7 passer rating. A pedestrian performance in a one-sided loss.

Watson had somewhat good mobility but was sacked five times, including one where takes eight steps back after already being in shotgun formation, which caused a hefty loss of yards.

How does the matchup vs Bucs project?

The good thing is the Buccaneers just allowed 33 points in Week 1 and it’s up to Watson and company to try and replicate that. However, it was against a much better offense than what the Browns have.

Whether Shedeur Sanders could provide more of an upside or not against the Buccaneers remains to be seen. However, it seems that unless Watson gets injured, Sanders won’t be able to play in Week 2.

The decision came after one of the most closely watched quarterback competitions of the offseason. Sanders and Watson battled throughout training camp and the preseason for the starting job, with Sanders generating significant attention after showing flashes that made the decision much more difficult for Cleveland’s new coaching staff. In the end, however, Monken opted for the veteran and gave Watson the opportunity to lead the Browns into the regular season.

That means Sanders will have to wait for his next opportunity, despite the strong interest surrounding his development. Watson will get the start against Jacksonville, while Cleveland will evaluate whether the veteran can provide the consistency and production necessary to keep the job. For Sanders, the season opener becomes another chance to watch and prepare while waiting for an opening that could arrive sooner than expected.

When will Shedeur Sanders play for Browns?

There is already significant speculation that Shedeur Sanders could get his opportunity relatively early in the season if Deshaun Watson struggles. Multiple reports, including one from NFL insider Adam Schefter, have indicated that Week 3 against the Carolina Panthers at home could become a potential turning point for the Browns’ quarterback situation if Watson fails to perform well in Cleveland’s first two road games against Jacksonville and Tampa Bay.

That scenario would put considerable pressure on Watson from the beginning of the season. The Browns are opening with two road games, giving the veteran an immediate opportunity to prove that Monken made the right decision by selecting him over Sanders. If the offense struggles badly in those games, Cleveland could be forced to reconsider its quarterback plan before the season moves too far forward.

For Sanders, that makes Week 3 against Carolina a particularly important date to watch. Nothing guarantees that he will become the starter by then, but the possibility gives him a clear path back into the competition. If Watson struggles against the Jaguars and Buccaneers, the Browns could turn to Sanders at home against the Panthers and finally give the young quarterback his chance to show what he can do in a regular-season game.

The decision ends weeks of speculation surrounding the Browns’ quarterback depth chart, particularly after Sanders appeared to outperform Watson during the preseason.

Despite the controversy surrounding the competition, Watson ultimately retained the starting job. Sanders will begin the season as the backup, while Green has earned a spot on the roster as the team’s third quarterback with Gabriel injured.

Did the Browns cut Dillon Gabriel?

No. The Browns are not cutting Dillon Gabriel, according to a report from Jeremy Fowler. He delivered an impressive performance against the New England Patriots in the preseason finale, helping eliminate speculation that Cleveland could move on from him before the roster deadline.

That was particularly important because there had been questions about whether the Browns would keep three or four quarterbacks. Instead, Cleveland decided to retain Gabriel and avoid losing a young quarterback who showed enough potential during the preseason. His performance against New England appears to have closed the door on the possibility of a trade or release.

Who will be the Browns’ starting quarterback?

Deshaun Watson will be the Browns’ starting quarterback to begin the 2026 season. Monken ultimately chose the veteran over Shedeur Sanders. Watson’s experience and familiarity with the offense were important factors in the decision.

However, the decision does not necessarily mean Watson has complete control of the position for the entire season. The Browns have two difficult road games to begin the campaign, and a slow start could quickly put pressure on the veteran quarterback.

Who will be the Browns’ backup quarterback?

Shedeur Sanders will enter the season as the Browns’ No. 2 quarterback. That makes him one of the most intriguing backup QBs in the NFL. Sanders will be one play away from taking over an offense that generated significant attention during the offseason because of the competition between him and Watson.

His preseason performances created a strong argument for him to receive the starting job, but Monken ultimately decided that Sanders still needed more development before taking over the offense. For now, however, Sanders remains in an excellent position if anything changes with Watson.

Browns QB depth chart for 2026 season

The current Browns’ depth chart therefore appears straightforward: Deshaun Watson as QB1, Shedeur Sanders as QB2 and Taylen Green as QB3. But that order could change when Gabriel comes back from IR, which would leave Green’s future uncertain.

Watson’s performance will ultimately determine how much pressure develops behind him, while Sanders will have an opportunity to continue developing while waiting for his chance. For the Browns, the quarterback controversy may finally be over for now.

But with four quarterbacks capable of generating headlines, Cleveland’s QB situation will remain one of the most closely watched topics of the 2026 NFL season.

Sanders entered training camp competing with Deshaun Watson for the Browns’ starting QB job. Despite showing promising flashes throughout the preseason, Shedeur ultimately fell short in the evaluation process as head coach Todd Monken decided that Watson gives Cleveland the best chance to start the regular season.

That decision has generated plenty of discussion around Cleveland, particularly because Sanders appeared to outperform Watson at times during the preseason. Nevertheless, Watson is now the Browns’ QB1, while Sanders will have to wait for his next opportunity to prove he can become the franchise’s long-term answer.

Is Shedeur Sanders playing today for Browns vs Patriots?

No. Shedeur Sanders will not play for the Browns against the Patriots in the final preseason game of 2026. That means Sanders’ preseason is officially over, and he will not receive any additional game reps before the regular season begins.

His next chance could come during the regular season if circumstances change, but for now, Watson remains firmly ahead of him on the depth chart. For Sanders, the challenge now shifts from winning the QB1 competition to continuing his development and being ready if the Browns eventually need him.

Why is Shedeur Sanders not playing for Browns against Patriots?

The decision was made by Todd Monken, who believes Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson have already received enough preseason playing time for the coaching staff to properly evaluate them.

Instead of giving Sanders another opportunity, Monken wants to use the final preseason game to look at Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green. Gabriel is expected to start against New England, while Green should also receive significant playing time.

The Browns are now trying to answer a different question: how many quarterbacks will they carry on the 53-man roster? The possibility of keeping four quarterbacks remains on the table, but Cleveland must determine whether there is enough value to justify using that many roster spots.

If the Browns decide four quarterbacks are too many, Gabriel could be the player most vulnerable to being released. That makes tonight’s game particularly important for Gabriel and Green. While Sanders and Watson have already completed their preseason evaluations, the two younger quarterbacks have one final opportunity to show Monken what they can bring to the roster.

Watson won the competition over Shedeur Sanders after Cleveland’s coaching staff evaluated both quarterbacks throughout training camp and the preseason. The decision generated plenty of controversy, particularly because Sanders appeared to show enough during the preseason to make a strong case for the starting job.

Now, Schefter believes Watson’s position could depend heavily on what happens during Cleveland’s first two games of the regular season. If the veteran struggles, Shedeur could receive an opportunity much earlier than expected.

Could Shedeur Sanders become the Browns’ starting QB?

Adam Schefter offered a fascinating prediction about how quickly Cleveland could change quarterbacks if Watson fails to perform. “If Deshaun Watson plays well the first two weeks on the road, he’ll continue to be the quarterback. If not, I believe there is a realistic chance that for their home opener, Shedeur Sanders is the starting quarterback of the Browns. That’ll be up to Deshaun and how he plays in the first two games.”

That puts significant pressure on Watson from the beginning of the season. The Browns will open their schedule with consecutive road games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before returning home for their Week 3 matchup.

Watson therefore may not have much room for error. If he performs well, the Browns could quickly put the quarterback controversy behind them. If he struggles, however, Sanders could become the most obvious alternative.

That possibility becomes even more intriguing because Shedeur Sanders could make his potential Browns starting debut at home against the Carolina Panthers in Week 3. He could then face another major test shortly afterward, with Cleveland scheduled to host the Pittsburgh Steelers in a primetime matchup.

Todd Monken chose Deshaun Watson

Todd Monken ultimately decided that Watson gave Cleveland the best chance to win when the regular season begins. The head coach’s evaluation appeared to focus on more than simply preseason statistics, particularly Sanders’ familiarity with the offense and his ability to operate the system.

That does not mean Sanders’ opportunity has disappeared. He remains one of the most important young players in Cleveland’s quarterback room, and a poor start from Watson could accelerate his path onto the field.

There is also a bigger picture for the Browns. Cleveland has major decisions ahead of the 2027 NFL Draft, and determining whether Sanders can develop into the franchise quarterback could have enormous implications for the organization’s future. For now, Watson has won the job. But Schefter’s prediction makes one thing clear: the quarterback competition may not actually be over.

On the surface, the decision has been difficult for some Browns fans to understand. Sanders showed flashes of the talent that made him one of the most intriguing quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft, while Watson’s performances did not necessarily separate him from Shedeur.

However, prestigious reported Mary Kay Cabot has provided more context on why head coach Todd Monken ultimately favored Watson. According to her information, the explanation may have much more to do with what happened away from the field than what fans saw during preseason games.

What happened behind the scenes with Shedeur Sanders?

Mary Kay Cabot explained that Todd Monken has repeatedly emphasized that Shedeur Sanders still has a learning curve to navigate, particularly when it comes to mastering the Browns’ offensive system.

“Todd has been trying to tell us over and over and over again that Shedeur still needs to come up the learning curve on that kind of stuff. Todd does not like what he calls crappy football. And it’s not that Shedeur would play crappy football, but you have to have a certain amount of comfortability with the system, with the scheme to be able to run the show.”

That explanation provides an important distinction. The decision does not necessarily mean that Watson has been dramatically better than Sanders physically or that Shedeur failed to impress during preseason action.

Instead, Monken appears to be prioritizing operational consistency and familiarity with the offensive system, elements that are much harder for fans to evaluate from game highlights.

Why did Todd Monken choose Deshaun Watson over Shedeur Sanders?

According to Mary Kay Cabot, some of the most important evidence behind the decision happened away from the spotlight. The Browns’ evaluation included what “happened in meeting rooms,” “in walkthroughs” and “in the operational details that never show up in a clip shared on social media.”

That could explain why Sanders’ strong preseason performances were not enough to win the job. A quarterback can make impressive throws and show good decision-making during limited game action while still having areas to improve when it comes to running an entire NFL offense.

For Monken, that distinction appears to have been decisive. The Browns’ head coach needs a quarterback who can operate the scheme with enough confidence and consistency to execute the entire game plan, not simply make impressive plays when given an opportunity.

Watson’s experience gives him an obvious advantage in that area. Despite the controversy surrounding his tenure in Cleveland and his inconsistent play since joining the team, he has considerably more NFL experience than Sanders.

Shedeur Sanders still has a path to the Browns QB1 job

The decision does not necessarily close the door on Sanders becoming Cleveland’s quarterback in the future. If anything, the explanation from Cabot suggests that his path to the starting job could depend on how quickly he closes the gap in his understanding of Monken’s offense.

That could be particularly important if Watson struggles once the regular season begins. The Browns have already seen enough from Sanders to know that he has the physical ability to compete, but Shedeur now has to demonstrate that he can consistently operate the offense at the level Monken expects.

For fans who believed Sanders clearly outplayed Watson in the preseason, the explanation may be frustrating. But preseason statistics and highlights only reveal part of the evaluation process.

For now, Watson has won the competition. But if Sanders continues learning the system and proves he can “run the show” without the operational mistakes Monken wants to avoid, he could eventually get another opportunity to change the Browns’ decision.

The coach revealed that Gabriel will start against the New England Patriots: “I’m excited for Dillon and seeing Taylen. We went through the first couple of games, the way we went about it, Taylen did a great job over the course of time with limited reps and going against the Bills, really executing our offense at a high level. So, I’m excited to get him out there and see him play.”

It’s time for the former Oregon Ducks quarterback to prove that his left arm is up to the task. While his chances of taking over for Sanders are slim, any setback throughout the season could influence the coaching staff’s decisions.

Taylen Green’s situation is somewhat easier to assess. His rookie season will be about gaining experience, surrounding himself with more seasoned NFL players, and potentially seeing some snaps at some point during the season if the situation calls for it.

The Browns’ final test

The 2026 NFL preseason has so far brought two tough losses for the Browns, who are undergoing a constant rebuilding process. Their preseason opener ended in a 34-10 loss to the Chicago Bears, followed by the same outcome one week later, this time against the Buffalo Bills in a 31-7 defeat.

Huntington Bank Stadium will be the stage for Todd Monken’s team’s final test, as it hosts the New England Patriots. There, the head coach and his staff will draw their final conclusions ahead of the start of the upcoming season.

Green earned his coach’s recognition

Green was selected with the 182nd overall pick in the sixth round of the latest draft out of the Arkansas Razorbacks. While his chances of seeing the field this season are low, Todd Monken made it clear that they are very happy to have acquired his services.

“First of all, he’s so damn smart,” the HC said. “That dude is smart as heck to go out there and function, we hardly give him any reps. I love that dude. It’s just hard. We have four guys. It’s hard to give them all reps. We’ve got him on the perimeter one time, which is what you’ve got to do down there in the red zone, but all he does is work, always has a smile on his face. I’m happy we got him. But it’s hard to fit him in with the reps and rep count we have.”

Cleveland’s debut

The Cleveland Browns will open the upcoming season on the road. Their debut will take place at EverBank Stadium on September 13, when they face the Jacksonville Jaguars.

This sparked a flood of reactions from fans on the social media platform. “This is why the Browns will be the Browns,” one user wrote, clearly lacking optimism. Another commented: “Horrible…… how you trying to rebuild franchise with a QB that won’t be on the team next year.”

Fans of other teams also weighed in on the situation: “I can’t imagine what it’s like to be a Browns fan.” Meanwhile, others continued calling for Shedeur: “This is crazy, my boy Shedeur Sanders deserves a shot.”

During his latest outing, Watson was booed by Browns fans, something Sanders himself questioned. Despite the criticism and lack of support from the fans, Monken prefers the experience of No. 4 over the youth of the former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback.

Why are Browns fans turning against Watson?

The backlash from Dawg Pound fans toward Deshaun Watson comes down to a brutal combination of a colossal contract and terrible production. Handing over three first-round picks for a fully guaranteed $230 million deal was a massive, all-in gamble, and the return on investment has been a total nightmare.

Between nagging injuries, inconsistent play, and looking like a shell of his former self on the field, fans feel like the franchise completely blew its future on a guy who just isn’t delivering.

A tough debut for Watson in the 2026 NFL season

The Browns want to be a tough team to beat in the AFC North, and with Deshaun Watson at the helm, they will look to get off to a strong start. It won’t be easy, as both their first and second games will be on the road.

The highly anticipated debut will take place on Sunday, September 13, in Jacksonville against the Jaguars. In Week 2, they will remain in Florida, visiting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seven days later. Their first game at Huntington Bank Stadium will be against the Carolina Panthers, while in Week 4, Cleveland will host the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Watson was booed by Cleveland supporters during the Browns’ preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, adding another uncomfortable chapter to the quarterback’s complicated relationship with the fanbase. Watson later said he believed the reaction was personal and called it disrespectful.

Sanders was asked about the situation and delivered a message that was particularly notable given his own ambitions. While the controversy surrounding Watson could potentially create an opportunity for him to become the Browns’ QB1, Shedeur insisted that respect has to come before competition.

What did Shedeur Sanders say about Deshaun Watson being booed?

Shedeur Sanders made it clear that he does not support fans making Deshaun Watson uncomfortable, regardless of their feelings about the quarterback or the competition between the two players.

“In general, I don’t appreciate that at all. Regardless of competition, we’re all human beings. I think we all need to understand that. I don’t really like making people feel uncomfortable in different spaces, and that’s why, even in daily things I do, I try to make sure everybody’s comfortable.”

Shedeur then emphasized that the situation should be viewed from a broader perspective. Sanders understands that fans have strong opinions about Watson, but he believes the players are ultimately working toward the same goal.

“However you all feel about the situation with Deshaun and about everything, I think it’s more about bigger purpose. It’s just respect. I feel like it should be there because we’re all out there trying to do our best and trying to serve the franchise the best way possible.”

Sanders finished by making it clear that the Browns’ quarterback competition should not overshadow the team’s ultimate objective. “We’re going out there to win games. We’re doing everything we can do. So, you know, I don’t really appreciate that.”

That could be an important message as the Browns prepare to make one of their most consequential decisions of the preseason. Sanders wants the starting job, but he made it clear that he does not believe the path to becoming QB1 should come at the expense of basic respect.

Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, head coach Todd Monken informed reporters that the decision will be finalized and informed on Monday, meaning that the starter in question will have almost three weeks to solidify himself and form full chemistry with the starters ahead of Week 1.

Both quarterbacks have “won” a preseason battle against the other. In the Browns’ first preseason game, Deshaun Watson shone over Shedeur Sanders. However, the second game was Sanders the one playing much better than Watson.

Who is the more accurate passer between Sanders and Watson?

Shedeur Sanders is consistently evaluated as the more accurate passer compared to Deshaun Watson. Throughout the Cleveland Browns’ 2026 training camp and preseason, accuracy charting, completion percentages, and on-field efficiency have heavily favored the sophomore quarterback.

This is a very important factor given that the Browns revamped heavily their wide receiver corp. Rookies Denzel Boston and KC Koncepcion are very talented, and Jerry Jeudy is on the roster as well.

Watson and Sanders’ preseason is over

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that the last Browns preseason game won’t feat Watson and Sanders. In fact, Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green will be the ones suiting up on Thursday night.

Hence, the decision of who the starting quarterback will be looks as final as it can be. By benching them both, there will not be a room for debate. It will be set in stone.

Monken spoke on 92.3 The Fan and he said he does “not anticipate the QB decision going past early of next week.” Given that there are three weeks from here until the start of the season, the decision is actually a bit late.

Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders have been going back and forth, with the veteran reportedly a bit ahead. However, nothing has been determined but the clock is ticking and Monken knows it.

There was a final rehearsal for both QBs

Saturday’s preseason game vs the Buffalo Bills gave a blueprint on both quarterbacks. Shedeur Sanders threw 11 times and got nine completions for 74 yards, one touchdown and one interception for an passer rating of 87.1

Deshaun Watson lost a step as he had four drives where he only completed five passes out of 12 for 35 yards and one interception. His passer rating was an abysmal 14.6. This game was clearly better for Sanders.

Dillon Gabriel also appeared on the game

Merely in an academic cameo, third string signal-caller Dillon Gabriel stepped into the field and had zero completions in one pass thrown. However, he still managed to have a 39.6 passer rating, better than Watson’s.