‘Ask Him’: Todd Monken Drops Blunt Response on Deshaun Watson’s Practice Readiness

· Yahoo Sports

The Cleveland Browns went 5-12 last season without Deshaun Watson, cycling through Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders at quarterback while their franchise starter sat out the entire year recovering from a twice-torn Achilles. Heading into 2026, the Browns handed Watson the starting job again over Sanders, a decision that has not exactly been met with open arms in Cleveland.

Watson was booed heavily by his own fans during the preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, and when first-year head coach Todd Monken was asked to respond to his quarterback’s situation, he redirected it to Watson.

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Todd Monken refrains from speaking for Deshaun Watson

On August 22, 2026, during the Cleveland Browns’ final preseason game at home against the Buffalo Bills, Deshaun Watson was loudly booed by Browns fans. The team lost 31-7, and Watson’s performance was widely viewed as poor.

Browns fans were already fed up with Watson who has played only 19 games since 2022 due to suspensions and a torn Achilles tendon suffered in 2024. It’s clear that they didn’t want him to be their starter instead of Shedeur Sanders.

Mar 31, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken speaks to reporters in the media during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Browns head coach Todd Monken addressed the situation in a measured way. When asked directly how prepared Watson was heading into the season, Monken refused to speak on the quarterback’s behalf.

“I can’t speak for him. We certainly are gonna try to build it as best we can around the things that we’ve seen in the months that we’ve been around him. What we think gives us all, offensively, a chance to operate at a really high level. And so I’m excited for him,” Monken said.

Todd Monken also admitted that after evaluating the final preseason, he wasn’t much impressed with Deshaun Watson. “I mean, after that game — I’ll just say during the game and then after the game, certainly Deshaun Watson was not in a great headspace. Let’s be real honest about it,” he said.

While Monken defended the decision to name Watson the Week 1 starter over Shedeur Sanders, he made clear that fan frustration did not influence that choice. Fans really wanted Shedeur Sanders as their QB1 but as he has to settle down being a backup, his future outlook becomes a bit less productive and eventful.

Shedeur Sanders’ early season outlook set for backup QB

For now, Todd Monken has indicated Sanders will be the primary backup for Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. There was some brief discussion about possibly using rookie Taylen Green in packages or even as a game-day backup, but Sanders remains next in line.

Watson is coming off major Achilles injuries and has a long history of inconsistency and limited availability in Cleveland. Analysts and the team’s own recent history strongly suggest Sanders will get starts at some point this season if Watson struggles or gets hurt.

Monken has spoken positively about Sanders’ growth and called him a “sponge” who continues to improve. “There are certain things he has to continue to work on, and he’s going to continue to grow leaps and bounds because he’s a sponge. He takes it all in, he really does. So, I just think it’s a matter of time before we get a chance to see that,” Monken said earlier in the summer.

Right now, Sanders is preparing as the backup and waiting for Watson’s situation to create an opening. His best path forward is to stay ready, perform well if/when he gets in, and use this year to either cement a bigger role in Cleveland or raise his value for a potential move later.

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