Todd Monken Addresses Deshaun Watson's Potential as Browns QB

Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken has been evaluating the potential of Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders to start as the team's quarterback. Monken has been competing both players in practice to decide on the starting position. He has also been fielding questions from the media about his thoughts on both players, including whether Watson could be the same kind of quarterback he was during his time with the Houston Texans.

Monken emphasizes that he would never put limitations on a player and that he would hate it if Watson did that. He believes Watson has shown a lot of improvement and has done some really good things athletically, which they will have a chance to see in practice. Watson, 30, is trying to win the starting job after missing the entire previous season due to Achilles tendon surgery.

He had previously played four seasons with the Texans, where he earned Pro Bowl honors in three of those years and led the team to winning records and the playoffs in two seasons. Watson also set the league record for passing yards during his 2020 season with 4,823 yards and 33 touchdowns, a 112.4 rating. However, since then, he has requested a trade due to frustrations with the coaching staff and front office, and after being held out of Texans games for the 2021 season, Houston traded him to the Browns in 2022.

Watson was set to become the team's starter but never started more than seven games in a season. Through the 2024 season, Watson compiled a 9-10 record as the team's starter. Monken seems to believe in Watson's ability to replicate his previous success with the Texans, but he first needs to earn the starting quarterback job, which is likely to be decided by the end of the preseason.

The Browns face the Chicago Bears in their first preseason game on Saturday, Aug. 15, but it is unclear which of Cleveland's quarterbacks will get the start.