INDIANAPOLIS – As Todd Monken continues through the phases of the offseason as a first time NFL head coach, he made his podium debut at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.
He covered a number of topics in his time with the media, including the outlook on the quarterback position for the Browns. Cleveland's quarterback room consists of soon-to-be second year players Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, as well as Deshaun Watson.
Monken and the Browns will continue to utilize the next handful of weeks to assess the roster, and one of the positions that they will examine will be quarterback. As free agency and the NFL draft approach, Monken said they will do their due diligence to put their roster in the best position to succeed during the 2026 season.
"I'm excited about Shedeur, excited about Deshaun and Dillon," Monken said. "I'm excited about the prospects, not only in free agency but also in the draft and we'll see where it all falls. Ultimately you've got to do whatever you need to do, especially at that position, to put yourself in position to score points."
As the Browns work through the decision at quarterback, the prospect of a competition isn't one that either Executive Vice President of Football Operations Andrew Berry or Monken are completely shying away from. Any quarterback in the position group will compete and must earn the starting job.
"Sure, I think it's an open competition," Monken said. "I mean, I don't why it wouldn't be an open competition. I don't mean that saying it harshly, but I don't think there's enough on film over the last couple years one way or the other to say, boy, we have our starter at quarterback yet. Whether internally or externally."
However, while that possibility is on the table at this point in the offseason, Monken also explained there can be an added benefit of having a named quarterback ahead of training camp.
"You would hope that that's the case," Monken said. "You would hope that by the time you get to training camp that the reps that you're giving to a quarterback is for your starter. Whether we get to that place, I don't know. That'll be determined in the offseason as part of it. It's just another part of the piece."
The Browns' quarterback room has a mix of youth and experience, as their rookies each saw playing time during their first seasons while Watson brings seven years of experience in his return from injury.
Sanders began his rookie season as the emergency quarterback before stepping into the backup role when Gabriel became the starter. Then Sanders started the final seven games of his rookie season, completing 120 of 212 passing attempts for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns. He also threw 10 interceptions and was sacked 23 times.
Monken sees strong qualities in Sanders' game, as well as opportunities for growth in his second season with the Browns.
"I think what you see is elite playmaking ability. That's in him," Monken said. "You've seen it. We've seen it. You saw it in college. You saw it on tape last year. Sure, there's a ways to go. But what rookie isn't, I mean, what first year player doesn't have a long way to go? So, I'm excited to get started with him and all of our quarterbacks and all of our players."
Watson, who is returning from an Achilles injury that he suffered in 2024 and caused him to miss the entire 2025 season, can also be in consideration. Watson last played for the Browns in 2024 when he started the first seven games before sustaining the Achilles injury. In his three seasons in Cleveland, Watson has started all 19 games played, completing 341 of 557 passing attempts for 3,365 yards and 19 touchdowns.
"I think anytime that you have a player that at one time has exhibited the skillset at an elite level, I think you're always going to give them the benefit of the doubt that somehow we might be able to get that out of him again," Monken said. "And I think that's how you should look at every player. […] Now you're going to have some preconceived notions obviously because we have prior evidence, but I don't decide who plays. The players decide who plays. I've never decided who plays."
Gabriel played in 10 games during his rookie season and earned six starts. He completed 110 of 185 passing attempts for 937 yards and seven touchdowns.
Now as the Browns utilize the offseason to determine the direction at quarterback, Monken sees a key attribute in all three of the Browns' rostered quarterbacks – mobility.
"I think you see that on tape," Monken said. "Shedeur surprised me a little bit in terms of 'mobile' might be, but he's got a knack. He's got a feel like he does in playmaking. He's got a real sense in the pocket when it starts to collapse and moving around the pocket, and he made more plays or got himself out of trouble than I would have guessed, than I would have thought even coming out, which was nice to see. As has Deshaun has throughout his career and Dillon has."
