The Cleveland Browns didn’t add another quarterback in the first wave of free agency. They could still do so in the NFL Draft, but barring a shocking turn of events, they may only do so in the latter rounds.
As things stand now, it looks like Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders will battle for the QB1 spot. However, NFL insider Jason La Canfora believes that the latter has the upper hand, given that Monken has already done extensive work on him:
"Expect to see plenty of first-time reps for Sanders this offseason," La Canfora wrote. "Monken did heavy evaluations on Sanders last year in the run-up for the draft, with the Ravens, he was Baltimore's offensive coordinator at the time, seeking to upgrade at back-up quarterback and exploring developmental options."
Sanders has clearly a way to go. That said, he’s also a bit of a blank canvas, giving Coach Monken the perfect opportunity to mold him and build an offense around his strengths:
"I know this about Todd, he won't shy away from that kind of challenge," one former assistant coach told La Canfora. "I think he kind of eats that stuff up."
Monken’s ties to Sanders go a long way back. He was with the Georgia Bulldogs when they tried to recruit him years ago, although he ultimately chose Jackson State. Moreover, the Baltimore Ravens wanted him to be Lamar Jackson’s backup last season, but Sanders told him he’d rather pursue starting opportunities elsewhere.
Perhaps this was meant to be. That said, even if Sanders might be leading the race right now, there will be no handouts in Cleveland.
The job looks his to lose at this point, but he has plenty of work to do after such an erratic rookie campaign. At least, he has a well-accomplished offensive guru who’s more than willing to polish him ahead of his second year in the league.
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