Updated with practice ending, statement from team spokesman.
BEREA ― Browns coach Todd Monken is about to make a decision on his quarterbacks, although it appears that decision may have already been made. It might not be the final decision for the regular season, but it’s a decision nonetheless.
Monken said before the Browns’ 10th training camp practice on Aug. 8 that the next day’s players’ off day was going to provide the coaches with an opportunity to assess where the depth chart stands entering the first preseason game Saturday, Aug. 15, at the Chicago Bears. Those decisions include where the quarterback competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders stands.
“That’s something we’ll talk about tomorrow,” Monken said Aug. 8. “I think tonight, tomorrow and then Monday we’ll start to really focus in on who’s going to start, how we’re going to play our guys, and where we’re at, [and] quarterback’s a piece of that.”
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The Browns have alternated between Watson and Sanders running with the No. 1 offense over the first 10 camp practices. Monken said before practice that Sanders would be working with the No. 1 on Saturday, with Watson getting an extra 7-on-7 series with the No. 1s.
However, Watson was first up with the No. 1 offense from the very first 11-on-11 drill, completely contrary to what Monken had said. There have been some potential hints at the direction Monken will go for the preseason opener. Watson has gone first in the individual and routes-on-air portions of practice, and he led off a scramble drill during the early stages of Saturday’s practice.
Watson took all of the No. 1 reps during practice. A team spokesman said afterwards that, “There were personnel groupings (Monken) wanted to see Deshaun with.”
Watson played with noticeable confidence in the more than 140-minute practice. It marked the third mostly good day out of the last four days for him, all with the No. 1 offense.
The first eight days of camp was spent on installation of scheme on both sides of the ball. The last two have been about carrying that installation into more situational-specific situations.
“I mean, ultimately, sorry to cut you off, but basically we went through the first week,” Monken said. “We’re now done with installs. Have a chance to assess. We already talked about it last night and then tomorrow. And now we’re into game week. Closest thing we’ll have to a game, the Bears. And so I will start to put the pieces where we think, again, at that time after another week, we’ll reassess come Monday. But you’ll see that on Monday.”
Monken has said his plan is to start both Watson and Sanders over the first two preseason games. The Browns will play host to the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 22, two days after holding a joint practice with them in Berea.
It would stand to reason that whoever starts vs. Chicago won’t against Buffalo. However, Monken continues to give himself an out.
“That’s still in mind,” Monken said. “We’re still on that track of liking to have one start one game and then the other. But everything we do is subject to change. I mean, with every position we have on the field … I mean, we’ll see how it goes today. We’ll see how it goes Monday. We’ll see how it goes Tuesday. And then we’ll put our best foot forward next Saturday night, or, Saturday.”
Monken has maintained he could take the decision on who starts the regular-season opener at the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 13 all the way to gameday if he really wanted to do that. Obviously, the decision figures to play out over the next three weeks, with a chance of some kind of pick being made ahead of the Aug. 27 preseason finale at home against the New England Patriots.
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The games won’t be the end-all, be-all in the decision-making process, any more than any specific throw or individual practice will be that for the quarterbacks. However, there are just some aspects of what a quarterback must deal with in an actual game, even a preseason one, that they just can’t simulate during practice.
“Well, it’s the next step,” Monken said. “You have to put some amount on it. It’s the closest thing where the quarterbacks understand they can get hit. I mean, no matter how much you’re in practice and they feel the rush, I mean, they’re not getting hit. I mean, it’ll change in a hurry no matter who’s out in front of you in terms of their understanding.
“When you’re trying to stack plays, it’s easier to really evaluate how you do per drive, not per play, because you just go to the next play. You’re moving the football. How are we converting? You understand the issues with lost shortage plays and turnovers. So it’s the closest thing we’re going to have is the preseason games.”
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: Did Browns coach Todd Monken tip decision for QB1 vs. Bears in practice?
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
