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Will Shedeur Sanders’ remain the Cleveland Browns starting QB under new HC Todd Monken?
Shedeur Sanders’ future as the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback remains unclear after new head coach Todd Monken stopped short of offering definitive answers in his first press conference.
Monken, one of the final hires in a frenetic NFL-wide re-hiring cycle, steps into one of the toughest jobs available. Cleveland’s offense, led by rookie Sanders, struggled for long stretches last season.
Even on defense - where the Browns were at their best - uncertainty lingers, with coordinator Jim Schwartz’s future unresolved after owner Jimmy Haslam declined to offer a firm commitment.
That uncertainty was front and centre during Monken’s introductory press conference. Here’s what went down.
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Who will be Todd Monken’s QB1?
Asked about his plans at quarterback - and specifically about Shedeur Sanders - the first-time head coach offered a vague response.
“Well, I think like any position on the team, that’s still to be determined,” Monken said.
When further pushed about Sanders in particular, he responded: “Am I excited about Shedeur? Am I excited about all the quarterbacks in the room? Am I excited to coach this football team? Absolutely. I can’t wait for them to get back for us to get started.”
Cleveland is not short on quarterback options. The Browns drafted both Sanders and Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel last year, yet neither emerged as a clear QB1 or the unquestioned future of the offense.
Gabriel went 1-5 in six starts, while Sanders finished 3-4 across the final seven games. Neither quarterback threw more than seven touchdowns, and neither posted a completion rate above 60 per cent.
While Sanders’ record and long-term potential may appear greater, his aggressive style also raised concerns. He threw 10 interceptions in seven games, compared to just two from Gabriel.
Under Kevin Stefanski, Sanders gained the upper hand late in the season. Under Monken, that competition looks set to reopen.
Ian Maule/Getty Images
As Monken made clear, the decision will come down to leadership as much as production.
“Who’s going to lead this team? Who has the it factor? Who has those characteristics that the team wants to follow and believes in them because the ball’s in their hands every down?
"This game’s going to come down to two-minute situations, four-minute situations where you’ve got to [be] able to execute at a high level.”
For Sanders, the message was unmistakable: nothing will be handed to him.
What about Jim Schwartz and the defense?
Only after addressing the quarterback situation did Monken turn to the other major question surrounding the Browns: the future of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.
“My anticipation is we’re not gonna change the system,” Monken stated, adding the Browns are “very difficult to go against”.
Monken made it clear that regardless of who leads the defense, the system and core of players will remain intact. That stance aligns with last season’s results, as Cleveland ranked fourth in the NFL in yards allowed per game (283.6).
Myles Garrett broke the single-season sack record with 23, earning unanimous First Team All-Pro honours and a Pro Bowl selection alongside cornerback Denzel Ward.
DROY candidate Carson Schwesinger also emerged as a breakout performer, becoming one of just eight players league-wide to record 150 or more tackles during the regular season, adding two interceptions, 2.5 sacks, three passes defended and 13 stuffs.
Ward said on Sunday regarding Schwartz: “I’m just going to wait to see how everything plays out and look forward to, hopefully, we’re still keeping him.”
While Schwartz clearly has locker-room support, it is also known that he was unhappy about being passed over for the head coaching role, and with his contract not expiring until the end of next season and Monken intent on preserving continuity, there remains a clear path for the two to work together - even if only in the short term.
However, comments from Browns owner Jimmy Haslam ensured speculation around Schwartz’s future continues.
With Sanders’ development unresolved and Schwartz’s status still uncertain, Monken faces two defining challenges before his first season even begins - both of which could shape the direction of the Browns under his leadership.
