CLEVELAND, May 12, 2026, 11:04 EDT
The Browns’ quarterback situation is once again in the spotlight. Shedeur Sanders is fending off challengers for the QB1 spot, with Deshaun Watson reportedly holding an early advantage. Despite that, new coach Todd Monken isn’t tipping his hand, sticking to his stance that the job is still up for grabs. Sports Illustrated, referencing Cleveland.com, said Watson has the “inside track,” but Monken hasn’t named a frontrunner. SI
The Browns head into the next phase of spring with four quarterbacks—Watson, Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and rookie Taylen Green—still on the roster and no clear starter. Cleveland’s official list shows all four, which gives Monken choices but also complicates how reps get divided.
Late Monday, Dawgs By Nature quoted someone from inside the organization calling quarterback “the elephant in the room” over in Berea. The site sketched out Cleveland’s quarterback possibilities: Watson manages a career turnaround, Sanders shows growth in his second season, Gabriel steps up as a workable backup, Green emerges as a legitimate NFL choice — or, potentially, none of them fixes the spot before the 2027 draft. Dawgs By Nature
RotoBaller labeled Sanders as a “dynasty hold” on Tuesday—jargon for a player you stash in keeper leagues—and pointed out that projections still lean toward either Sanders or Watson ending up with the job. The site added that Watson stands out as the only quarterback in the current group whose contract expires before 2027. RotoBaller
The Browns are keeping their plans close to the vest. Todd Monken, speaking to NFL.com on May 1, said he’d “love” to have his starting quarterback chosen ahead of training camp. Still, after only three practices, he admitted, “I’m not there yet.” Nfl
Sanders brings youth and, crucially, more potential years ahead. The Browns noted Sanders logged eight games as a rookie, starting seven, with 1,400 passing yards and seven touchdowns to his name. Gabriel, on the other hand, played in 10 games, made six starts, and finished with 937 yards and seven touchdowns.
The downside here is tough to ignore. ESPN’s Aaron Schatz didn’t mince words, saying it was “hard to pretend” the Browns’ quarterback situation was working. He pointed to Total QBRs: Gabriel at 31.4, Sanders even lower with 18.9, and Watson at 21.0 before his Achilles injury. Total QBR, for the record, is ESPN’s preferred measure for quarterback efficiency. Hindustan Times
Green brings some intrigue—though he’s hardly penciled in as the Week 1 solution. According to NFL.com, the rookie came in at 6-foot-5 7/8 and 227 pounds, with a 4.36 in the 40. But Monken has reportedly pulled back from the notion that Green is already in serious contention for the starting spot. Green, for his part, called himself the “young pup” in the group. Nfl
After the draft, Browns general manager Andrew Berry pointed to Green’s “rare physical gifts”—mentioning the Arkansas quarterback’s size, speed and arm—but he also described Green as needing “some polish.” Green, for his part, said he was “excited to compete” alongside Watson, Sanders and Gabriel. Cleveland Browns
Sanders has fired back at the stories swirling around him. In a piece on Yahoo Sports via EssentiallySports, Sanders was quoted saying people “see the lies clearly” in response to coverage of his social media. He added that he shares his own view out in the open, hoping it helps others deal with the same noise. Yahoo Sports
Things are anything but settled on the quarterback front. Baltimore’s official site kept tabs on the Watson-Sanders competition in its AFC North coverage, pointing out that Cincinnati is sticking with Joe Burrow as the centerpiece of its offense—a contrast to Cleveland, where quarterback uncertainty lingers while their rivals lean on established setups.
Cleveland has bulked up with depth, but clarity remains out of reach. The Browns picked up Green along with seven more 2026 draft selections just last week, according to Reuters. The real tell on the quarterback situation? That depends on how Monken splits the first-team snaps once full spring practices are back underway.
