Todd Monken said the Cleveland Browns expect to name their starting quarterback on Monday, putting a date on a decision that has been building through training camp and two preseason games. He said the choice is still being weighed, but the team is close enough to give the answer before the final week of preseason work.
That is why the search for Browns starting QB is spiking now: the club has been rotating Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson through first-team work, and both have already had chances to make their case in games. Watson opened the first preseason game against the Bears and played the first half, finishing 11-for-15 for 126 yards, while Sanders handled the third quarter and finished his final drive in the fourth quarter, going 6-for-11 for 79 yards with one interception.
The picture got another turn on Aug. 20, when Sanders started against the Bills and played the first half, completing nine of 11 passes for 74 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Watson again entered in the third quarter and finished his final drive in the fourth quarter, going 5-for-12 for 36 yards and one interception. Monken said the decision will come from the full body of work, not one isolated outing, which leaves the Browns with a deadline but not yet a name.
He put it plainly: there are still things to weigh, and even after the latest game he wants to take in everything the two quarterbacks have done. That creates the only gap that matters now. The Browns have a plan to announce the starter on Monday, but Monken has not said which of the two it will be, and the performance comparison is still the point of the conversation.
The rest of the week is built around that answer. Cleveland plays its final preseason matchup against the Patriots on Thursday, Aug. 27 at 8 p.m., and Monken said he does not expect the starters, including the starting quarterback, to play. Taylen Green will play in that game but will not start, making the contest more of a final evaluation than a dress rehearsal for the Browns' opening depth chart.
Monken also said Sunday still carries roster pressure, with spots to be won even as the quarterback decision nears. The Browns have already signed Derek Barnett on Sunday and placed Alex Wright on injured reserve, another reminder that the final week of preseason is about sorting the roster as much as settling the top of it. For Sanders and Watson, Monday is the day the competition is supposed to end.
