The Cleveland Browns have had their fair share of pain points over the years, but there has not been a more consistent one than the quarterback position. Between the NFL Draft, free-agent acquisitions, and trades, the Browns haven’t been able to find a long-term starter for over 20 years.
They haven’t pursued any quarterbacks this offseason, so it has been assumed that they will ride with either Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders as their Week 1 starter. Todd Monken has kept his comments minimal, so Browns fans have been waiting on bated breath to see who will be QB1. Thankfully, it looks like that wait will be over soon.
As reporter Nick Camino indicated, “Browns head coach Todd Monken is expected to meet with the media tomorrow at noon in Berea. At that time, he’s expected to name his Week 1 starter.”
“#Browns head coach Todd Monken is expected to meet with the media tomorrow at Noon in Berea. At that time, he’s expected to name his Week 1 starter,” Camino wrote.
#Browns head coach Todd Monken is expected to meet with the media tomorrow at Noon in Berea.
At that time, he’s expected to name his Week 1 starter.
— Nick Camino (@NickCaminoWKYC) August 24, 2026
With the Browns’ Week 1 clash with the Jacksonville Jaguars less than a month away, deciding on your QB in late August seems to be the perfect time, if not a bit late in the cycle. Watson and Sanders have each had plenty of opportunities to prove themselves throughout training camp and preseason games, and Monken has apparently seen enough to call this competition over.
Through two preseason games, Watson went 16/27, throwing for 162 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. Sanders put up similar stats, going 17/22, throwing one touchdown pass and having two interceptions.
In real-game situations, albeit in the preseason, Sanders was more efficient than Watson, even though he threw one more interception while attempting fewer passes. It’s unclear how much Monken will take the preseason into account, but that will certainly weigh into this final decision.
The Browns have their work cut out for them in the AFC North, as the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens have been great over the past several seasons, and the Pittsburgh Steelers could be significantly better given their offseason moves. They need to have some major quarterback improvements if they want to be competitive, so it will be interesting to see if one of these guys can provide that for them.
NEXT: Todd Monken Addresses Frustration From Browns Fans
