All signs point to the Cleveland Browns having a two-man race for the QB1 spot, at the very least. Deshaun Watson is getting some buzz that’s getting pretty hard to ignore, and Shedeur Sanders closed out the season as the starter.
Browns GM Andrew Berry also hinted at taking someone in the NFL Draft, with Ty Simpson as a sleeper candidate. For now, however, the Browns QB room consists of Watson, Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel.
Notably, new head coach Todd Monken didn’t do much to ease the rumors about the position. According to ESPN insider Daniel Oyefusi, he didn’t name a QB1, but he admitted that the reps won’t be divided equally:
“At the NFL’s league meetings, Browns HC Todd Monken said QB reps won’t be divided equally to begin offseason workouts. Who starts out getting the most reps will be decided on ‘what we’ve seen in the past and where year ended,'” Oyefusi shared on X.
Monken must’ve discussed his actual plans for the QB position when he interviewed for the job, so the Browns might be just being cautious with what they said. If they judge the position based on how the year ended, it’s safe to say Gabriel won’t have much of a shot. If they factor in experience, Watson should be the obvious frontrunner.
It’s hard to believe that Monken and the Browns don’t actually know who’s going to get the bulk of the work, at least early on. And while those situations are fluid, whoever is in the driver’s seat to begin training camp will most likely start in Week 1.
The Browns are playing with fire here, as they need to give Sanders every rep he can handle to support his development. Whichever route they decide to go on, they need to make up their minds soon.
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