BEREA ― The second day of Browns training camp, full-squad edition, featured the arrival of one ultra-famous father of a player. It also included the next step in the continuing saga of that father’s son battling a wounded veteran for the starting quarterback position.
Before the Browns took the field for their second full-squad practice, coach Todd Monken spent 10 minutes talking to the media. That came after a lengthy visit with that famouse father, Pro Football Hall of Famer and University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders.
Monken spoke about his meeting with Sanders, the father of quarterback Shedeur Sanders. He also talked about the other quarterback in the mix, Deshaun Watson, and his Day 1 struggles.
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Here’s some of the highlights from Monken’s availability:
Todd Monken on meeting with Deion Sanders
“It was really cool. I mean, that was at Deion Sanders. Are you kidding me? Forget that it’s Shadeur’s dad. I mean, first of all, he did an unbelievable job with Shedor. Great kid and obviously an elite football player, hell baseball player. And then as a coach, I mean, wow. Everything that he’s achieved, that was awesome. So yeah. Was there anything more? I interrupted you before you finish it. No, no. I just said it was awesome.”
Todd Monken on what was said in meeting with Deion Sanders
“It was fine. I mean, we just started telling stories and then we really didn’t get almost any football. We got into NIL and Jackson State and Colorado and we almost drafted him in Baltimore and that crazy scenario and what a great job Shadeur’s done since I’ve been here in terms of his development. And so it was good. It was a part coach, part father, which is what it should be.”
Todd Monken on Deshaun Watson’s back-to-back interceptions on Day 1
“Though it sucked. That’s no fun. I mean, for him or us, I mean on offense. First of all, the naked, that was a great play by Denzel Ward. I was standing right behind it. And I thought it was an elite throw. Deshaun moving to his left. He out-leveraged the backer to get it there. Now we drifted a little on the overroute, but Denzel with his speed. Who asked me about Denzel yesterday? Can’t be late with throws because of his tracking speed. Now I was more down the field, but that showed up on that play. That was the first one. The second one, we ran a play action and really some leakage up front, which can happen without pads on. So Deshaun had to slide and we were just laid on the end cut in the overlap corner. So really neither one in my mind was really a bonehead decision.”
Todd Monken on decision to alternate Spencer Fano, Dawand Jones at LT
“Well, first of all, let’s talk quarterback. They’re going to switch. Final will switch today. And when we’re together collectively, they’re running with the ones. The wide outs will. But you have to make a decision when you two spot, someone’s got to go with the twos, however you do it, to get the same amount of reps. So we basically divide up the groups. The reason we also like, if we’re going to rotate the quarterbacks and we’re going to rotate the left tackle, it makes sense to me with the receivers to stay. So every other day they get work with the other quarterback. If we moved them together, in my mind, doesn’t give us the ability to really see what we want to see in terms of development. So there is no exact right or wrong answer. We want them to get reps and continue to develop and build their confidence also at the same time. I think it’s important for. It would have been the same way whoever’s here, but I think it’s important for multiple players to go against Jared Verse. I think it’s important for multiple linemen to go against multiple defensive linemen or the young white has to go against some of the best corners in the NFL and have days where they don’t go against those guys. I think that’s important for their development to have days of confidence building.”
Todd Monken on Jadeveon Clowney from 2023 Ravens
“Well, first of all, very. First of all, let’s just talk about him as a player. He can still get to the quarterback, which is an important part of winning football games is disrupting the quarterback, as we all know. OK, so let’s start with that. I love his personality. I mean, he’s got a contagious smile. I mean, he’s fun to be around. I’m a big fan. I was only around him again in 23, and I was on the opposite side of the ball. But I was on bus two with him, which is a small thing, but every away game, we’re on the same bus. So I get a little bit of feel of his personality and how he was with his teammates, which is critically important. But I’m a big fan.”
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Todd Monken on Grant Delpit, Denzel Ward contract extensions
“Well, they’re homegrown guys. I mean, I was here before when Denzel was here. And then with Grant, really good players, very deserving of the extensions. And we’re in the business of having good football players. And that’s just the way it is. I mean, those guys are still really good players playing at a high level. And like I said yesterday, the money isn’t for what they’ve done. It’s what we anticipate. We still anticipate them playing at a very, very high level or you don’t give them extensions. Older players that you don’t believe in that, they go on one year contracts year after year. Guys you really believe that are still playing at a high level, they get multi-year deals and we anticipate they’ll still continue to play at an elite level.”
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ. Sign up for Browns Insider newsletter at https://profile.beaconjournal.com/newsletters/browns-insider/
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Todd Monken on Deion Sanders, others on Day 2 of Browns training camp
Reporting by Chris Easterling, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Chris Easterling, Akron Beacon Journal | USA TODAY Network
