The Cleveland Browns hired Todd Monken as their new head coach for the 2026 season, and one of his first big decisions of the offseason was whether Shedeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson would start at quarterback in Week 1. After a quarterback competition that lasted through training camp and the preseason, Monken chose the veteran Watson as Cleveland's QB1. While the decision drew criticism after Week 1's disappointing 34-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, it looked much better after a Week 2 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Some still contend that Sanders should be starting in Cleveland, and that could still happen. However, former Browns Pro Bowl wide receiver Jarvis Landry recently defended the decision to start Watson. Landry suggested that Monken took on the unenviable job of head coach in Cleveland, which isn't necessarily a "destination" with the same prestige or stature as Mike Tomlin's former position with the Pittsburgh Steelers or other high-profile NFL coaching jobs.
More news: Browns HC Todd Monken Explains Fiery Response to Mike Tomlin’s Criticism He indicated that as a first-year head coach, Monken is also trying to figure out how to get everything working properly with the team, so starting an inexperienced quarterback like Sanders would make things even tougher. "No matter who you put back there, whether it's Shedeur [or] Deshaun, it's not gonna be successful right now, right? They're still kind of figuring it out.
I think for Shedeur's career, I would love to see him continue on the trajectory that he was on, [as] opposed to just kind of being thrown in there while they're figuring it out," Landry said. After an embarrassing Week 1 loss at Jacksonville, many expected the Browns to struggle against Tampa Bay in another road game in Week 2. However, Cleveland outscored Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers 17-10 in the second half, then prevented a late comeback to win 23-19.
Watson looked steady in the game, completing 24 of 30 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions for a 121.9 passer rating. With that, the Browns evened their record at 1-1 and gave fans some optimism ahead of a Week 3 home opener against Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers. The good news for Monken is that it's his first year as head coach, and he has options.
If Watson struggles and the team isn't winning games, he could bench his current starter in favor of Sanders, who had eight starts last season and showed glimpses of his potential as QB1. More news: Matt LaFleur Sounds Alarm on Packers After ‘Humbling’ Blowout Loss to Falcons For more about the Cleveland Browns and the NFL, visit Newsweek Sports.
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