Shedeur Sanders Browns quarterback
Shedeur Sanders Browns quarterback
The Browns still seem no closer to having an answer as to who will be their quarterback, between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders. Both accounted for poor-quality turnovers in their first preseason game, while offering no touchdowns. At this rate, it’s not clear if HC Todd Monken will announce a starter before Week 1.
But that won’t stop him from talking about the Browns’ quarterback situation in the most positive terms plausible. Now, both Watson and Sanders made a throw or two during the game, which is hard not to do. Sanders in particular did have a key third-down conversion, for example. But there is so much bad to balance out the good.
Now after Watson started the first preseason game, the Browns want to switch quarterbacks and start Sanders. That was part of the plan all along, to be clear. And some speculate that Watson got the first crack because they were on the road and Monken didn’t want to expose him to a hostile home crowd in that way.
“I did feel going into last game that it was relatively close in terms of both having an opportunity at the starting position, so it would be unfair to not go into the next game and give Shedeur that same opportunity”, Monken said of the current quarterback battle, via the Browns’ website.
In fact, he has been talking about his belief that the Browns could play well with either quarterback for months. Not that he could really say anybody else, because it’s not like they’re going to go out there and find a better answer right now. Dillon Gabriel didn’t look very good, either. In fact, former Steelers CD Beanie Biship Jr. picked both Gabriel and Sanders off in the same game.
“The next two weeks we’ll be at home with a normal cadence”, Monken added. “We spent so much time getting in and out of the huddle. Our subs were good, that part was good. Our communication from the sideline to the field, which I got frustrated with the other day, was good; for the most part we had 11 on the field when we broke the huddle. We just have to continue to work to not waste plays”.
Monken also praised Shedeur Sanders for the progress he believes he has made while leaving plenty of room to grow. In particular, he said that Sanders is going through his progression better—but still not at a high level. He is maneuvering in the pocket better—but still creating his own pressure.
One thing the Browns have done for their quarterback room is to improve the team around them. In particular, they drafted WRs KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston in the first and second rounds, respectively. They also added a new franchise left tackle in the first round in Spencer Fano. All three are on track to start as rookies, though that also comes with growing pains. Not that Cleveland needs any more pain at this point.