In what has been a shocking update for many Cleveland Browns fans, it was reported on Wednesday that Shedeur Sanders, who finished last season as the Browns’ QB1, could no longer keep the position in the 2026-27 NFL season. It has been revealed that with the upcoming season still five months away, Todd Monken prefers Deshaun Watson over Sanders in the QB1 position.
Browns Insider Mary Kat Cabot reported on Cleveland.com that Monken’s preference for Watson over Sanders came after the team held a voluntary minicamp this week, based on the performances in the camp.
However, the decision is not final, and Shedeur will have the next five months trying to impress Monken to hand over the QB1 position to him.
However, there are certain key areas that Shedeur Sanders needs to improve in order to overtake Deshaun Watson in Todd Monken’s eyes. And, what’s even better for him, the Cleveland.com report lists the areas in which Todd Monken sees Watson having an edge over Shedeur.
3 Reasons Why DeShaun Watson Is Ahead Of Shedeur Sanders
1. Better Offensive Understanding
A veteran quarterback, Deshaun Watson, was a big miss for the Browns last season as he was recovering from a serious Achilles tendon injury. He went out in 2024 and reinjured himself again in January 2025, missing the rest of the 2025-26 season.
However, now that he is back, he is reportedly performing well in the team camps, earning Todd Monken’s preference. In the Cleveland.com report, Cabot writes that Watson has knowledge of “learning many new (offensive)systems” and there is a “carryover in terms of both terminology and plays.”
2. Displaying Critical Skills At Texans
Additionally, the report reveals that Monken thinks DeShaun Watson has already displayed some skills that Shedeur Sanders has yet to learn. It includes “some of the same spread and other passing concepts,” the report noted.
3. Experience A Key Factor
All of these boil down to one major advantage that Deshaun Watson has over Shedeur Sanders: his experience. Watson joined the NFL in the 2017 draft and has played for the Houston Texans and Browns over the last nine seasons.
Sanders, on the other hand, will enter his second season after playing eight games and recording 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He finished the season with a quarterback rating of 18.9.
