Todd Monken on Shedeur Sanders: I'm excited about the long game for him

Todd Monken, Cleveland Browns' head coach, expressed his excitement about the long-term prospects of Shedeur Sanders, the team's backup quarterback. Sanders did not emerge victorious in Cleveland's quarterback competition against Deshaun Watson and will start the 2026 season as the backup. However, Monken believes Sanders will see considerable playing time in the near future, potentially as early as Week 3 when the Browns host the Panthers for their home opener.

Monken praised Sanders' progress throughout the offseason and training camp, noting that the coach has observed promising aspects of Sanders' game. "I know this, from the jump in the offseason, when he showed some things that I really liked... that’s when we made the decision to give him more reps," Monken stated. The Browns' decision to allow Sanders to compete for the starting position stemmed from their belief that Deshaun was already ahead due to his experience.

Monken further emphasized Sanders' potential for growth, highlighting his ability to absorb information and improve: "he’s a sponge — takes it all in, he really does."

Despite the preseason finale against the Patriots being set aside for Sanders, the coach expects Sanders to gain more playing time as the season progresses. With fan dissatisfaction towards Watson and his history of underperformance, Monken seems confident that Sanders could emerge as the team's starting quarterback sooner than anticipated.