The Cleveland Browns have had a solid offseason coming off their 5-12 2025 season, but they still have major questions at the most important position in football, and it could make or break them taking a step forward in 2026. 

Cleveland needs to improve at quarterback in head coach Todd Monken’s first season at the helm, and currently, his options to be the starting quarterback are Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders. The Browns could still add a quarterback to the room this offseason to be the fourth on the team joining Dillon Gabriel, but it’s no guarantee. 

Todd Monken gave a hint on who will have the best chance to be the Browns’ starting quarterback 

Kevin Stefanski ran a quarterback competition last year that saw Joe Flacco be named the guy halfway through training camp. Monken wants to have a starter named earlier than mid-August, and he doesn’t see offseason reps being evenly split as they have in the past. 

“I don’t see it that way,” Monken said at the NFL League Meetings. “I wouldn’t say they’re going to be evenly dispersed, but we’ll definitely disperse them to give ourselves a chance to at least evaluate who we have on the roster, whoever that might be as we go through the offseason.”

After the above statement, Monken went on to point out how the reps will be split up to begin the offseason training program. The Browns begin voluntary workouts on April 7 in Berea.

“By basically what we’ve seen in the past and where the year ended last year,” Monken said.

There you have it, Monken all but confirmed Sanders will get more than a fair amount of quarterback reps to begin OTAs. Sanders started the last seven games for the Browns last season and fits the bill of what Monken mentioned with how the team ended last season. Going with Sanders to be the first to get a chance to be the starting quarterback makes sense, as he represents the upside on the roster. 

Sanders threw seven touchdowns to 10 interceptions last season and took some real bumps despite showing flashes of positive play. Watson will get a chance to compete for the job but he’s 30 years old and all signs point toward him being off the team next year when Cleveland can afford to part ways. Not going with the upside at quarterback for a veteran who doesn’t fit the long-term picture would be a questionable move. 

This isn’t to say Sanders will be the guaranteed Week 1 starter, but he’s going to get his shot. The former fifth-round pick has notably been around Northeast Ohio at the Browns’ facilities improving his craft. Coaches notice players who visibly want to get better, and that looks to be the case here with Monken and Sanders.