Who is going to play quarterback in Week 1 remains the biggest question left regarding this Cleveland Browns roster. It’s a big decision, so new head coach Todd Monken is going to take his time deciding on which player to name the starter.
Fans saw both Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders take reps during the spring, but that isn’t enough for the Browns to make a final decision.
Recently, Mary Kay Cabot gave some insight into when she believes Monken will name his starting quarterback.
“I think Monken will let the QB competition play out through at least the first two preseason games, and possibly all three. Ideally, Monken will name his QB1 sooner than later, but the desire to see them practice in pads and play against another team will probably outweigh deciding early to get the starter ready,” Cabot wrote.
Monken and his staff appear committed to waiting out this decision and letting the quarterbacks truly compete for the starting gig in camp. It’s Monken’s first year as the head coach, so he’s not too familiar with either player.
It’s best to let the two quarterbacks show what they can do during live game action. There is only so much you can see and analyze during practice. Sometimes, you need to see live reps to weed out the weaker of the two options.
Given the amount of money attached to Watson, it seems likely that he’ll get the first chance under center. The Browns probably don’t want to bench someone making nearly $50 million this upcoming season. The only way the Browns get away with benching Watson is if he shows he’s not physically capable of doing it during the preseason.
Barring any injuries, there’s basically no scenario where Watson ends the season as the starter. He’s in the final year of his deal, and almost certainly won’t be back in Cleveland next year. The Browns are only making this a competition because of the money attached to Watson this season.
Once Watson shows he’s not capable of holding down the starting job, Sanders should take over under center for the rest of the season. The Browns want to see what they have in Sanders and if he can be the future under center.
If Sanders wins the job in Week 1, then Watson probably won’t be touching the field unless there’s an injury. The Browns are unlikely to pull Sanders at any point unless he becomes unplayable or gets injured.
Monken is probably going to take a long time and draw out this decision until the end of the preseason. There is no rush to name a quarterback, and he should let the two quarterbacks play it out in camp.
Fans shouldn’t expect there to be a final decision anytime soon.
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