With Deshaun Watson still in concussion protocol, Shedeur Sanders is set to make his first start of the season at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. Most expected to see Sanders at some point this season, but not like this, as the Browns are looking to improve to 6-3 and keep pace in the AFC playoff picture.
Most expected Watson to flame out after a game or two and for Sanders to take over and lead what should have been a bridge season ahead of the 2027 draft, but the Browns are competitive, and there is pressure on Sanders to avoid rocking the boat. He doesn’t have a chance here to win the starting job, but he can prove himself to this organization and 31 other teams if he can display some improvement compared to last season.
Head coach Todd Monken has better insight than anybody and recently spoke about where he believes his young QB has improved the most. While speaking with the media, he raved about Sanders’ intangibles.
“Where he’s improved is his footwork, his drops, his mechanics, understanding where to go with the ball, sense of urgency in terms of working through his progressions, protections. There were so many things he needed to work on, and he’s done that like any young player. Any young player has a lot to work on, especially at the quarterback position. And you could see that from the moment we got here. And that’s why we opened up the competition and we split the reps, was because of his ascent. That’s what we did. And again, this is just another piece of that. Just like this weekend will be another piece of that,” Monken said.
#Browns HC Todd Monken on where Shedeur Sanders has improved most in his game:
“Where he’s improved is his footwork, his drops, his mechanics, understanding where to go with the ball, sense of urgency in terms of working through his progressions, protections. There were so many… pic.twitter.com/OhwAUkfupV
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) November 6, 2026
Monken is always honest and thoughtful with his responses, and this provided great insight into what fans could expect on Sunday. It’s clear from his words that he has taken great care of Shedeur Sanders and prioritizes his development as a player.
Many doubted if Kevin Stefanski felt the same way last season since Sanders never got first-team reps and was eventually thrown straight into the fire as the starter without that needed preparation. This time around, after taking first-team reps all throughout the offseason and with a much more talented offense around him, Sanders will be stepping into a much more enticing situation.
All the things Monken mentioned were certainly areas of needed improvement for Sanders, but none of them came across as criticism from Cleveland’s coach. It’s going to be fun to see how this offense is tweaked to help cater to Sanders’ strengths, because that was rarely the case last season.
NEXT: Browns See Notable Change In Odds For Saints Matchup
