Month: August 2026

Well, that was surprising. This morning Browns head coach Todd Monken announced that Deshaun Watson will be the starting quarterback for the 2026 Cleveland Browns. Part of me understands the decision. Monken is an older coach, and older coaches always go with the veteran. He must expect a miracle to occur in Jacksonville, because even if you count Watson’s start against the Bears, which was good, I just don’t see how this helps the Browns past this year. The coaching staff expected Watson or Sheduer Sanders to walk away with the starting job. Neither did. But even if both were average at best, you go with the young guy to see what you have for next year. Starting Watson is a waste of time.

Before anyone starts with all the conspiracy theories, this was Monken’s decision and only Monken’s decision. Owner Jimmy Haslam and GM Andrew Berry had nothing to do with this choice. Prior to the news leaking out, Monken talked to the locker room and informed them of his decision, so there’s no fracture in the locker room. The Browns aren’t tanking because this is probably Monken’s last chance at being a head coach in the NFL. He wants to win. I thought his best chance would be with Sanders, but what do I know. Also, there’s no plan to play Watson the first two games, road games, and then start Sanders in the week three home opener.

With this announcement, Sanders will be the backup, so who’s the third string QB? I hope it’s Taylen Green. We’ll see in preseason game three against the Patriots what he can do. In other Browns news, DT Maliek Collins passed his physical and is eligible to come off the PUP list. DE Alex Wright tore his Achillies and is out for the season, so the Browns signed former first round pick Derek Barnett. He’ll be a rotational player, but the Browns still need another defensive end, as well as another cornerback. Linebacker and safety are fine. On the offensive side of the ball, the number two OL played well Saturday. I think Zak Zinter has made the roster. Rookie Austin Barber looked good a guard and center Luke Wypler is having a good camp. If Wypler can stay healthy and start at center, then Elgton Jenkins can move to right guard. The running back room is set, and WR Luke Floriea is playing himself onto the roster.

I’m a Browns fan and I’ll always be a Browns fan. Even with Watson as the starter, I’m still going to be a Browns fan. Stay safe, buckle up and Go Browns.

Although the starters didn’t play much, in some cases a few series, there were players who solidified their spot on the roster. But there are still holes to fill.

Quarterbacks (3). Sheduer Sanders, Deshaun Watson, Taylen Green.

Running Backs (3). Quinshon Judkins, Dylan Sampson, Raheim Sanders,

Tight Ends (3). Harold Fannin, Free Agent, Carsen Ryan.

Wide Receiver (6). Jerry Jeudy, Denzel Boston, KC Concepion, Isaiah Bond, Tylan Wallace, Gage Larvadain.

Offensive Tackle (4). Spencer Fano, Tytus Howard, Dawand Jones, Austin Barber.

Offensive Guard (4). Zion Johnson, Elgton Jenkins, Teven Jenkins, Free Agent.

Center (2). Luke Wypler, Parker Brailsford.

Defensive Tackle (5). Maliek Collins, Mason Graham, Michael Hall, Adin Huntington, Free Agent.

Defensive End (5). Jared Verse, Alex Wright, Isaiah McGuire, Khordae Sydnor, Free Agent.

Linebacker (5). Carson Schwesinger, Quincy Williams, Justin Jefferson, Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Nathaniel Watson.

Cornerback (5). Denzel Ward, Tyson Campbell, Myles Harden, Maichael Coats, Jr. Free Agent.

Safety (5). Grant Delpit, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Ronnie Hickman, Daniel Thomas, Donovan McMillon.

Specialists (3). Andre Szmyt, Corey Bojorquez, Rex Sunahara.

Stay safe and Go Browns.

On Saturday in Berea, the world stopped. Well, Browns fans world stopped. Okay, a little too dramatic. Browns fans restarted an endless argument of who’s the starting quarterback based on first team reps. On a day when according to the previous nine days, second year QB Sheduer Sanders was supposed to get first team reps, head coach Todd Monken switched things up and gave all the first team reps to Deshaun Watson. Chaos ensued. The media saw an opportunity to make money on social media sound bites. and the “Sanderites” were making plans to storm the castle. The conspiracy theories started coming fast and furious. Jimmy Haslam told the head coach to start Watson. Andrew Berry told the head coach to start Watson. When Monken was hired, he was told he would have to start Watson. Sanders asked for a trade. This means Watson will be the Browns starting quarterback in 2026. Blah, blah blah.

This all started when before practice on Saturday, Todd Monken was asked by the media if Sanders was going to get first team reps. He said, “With a seven-on-seven, might end up where Deshaun gets one of those, that’s what we’ve been doing, but Shedeur will take the majority of the one reps today.” Sanders got none, Watson got all of them. After practice, a team spokesperson said, “There were personnel groupings he wanted to see Deshaun with.” Oh My God, an NFL head coach lied to the media, or did he? On Friday no one noticed an article written by Mary Kay Cabot who asked Monken why Sanders was getting more padded practices than Watson. His answer was if Sanders went Saturday, he would have three padded practices to Watson’s one. So were they trying to even things up? “Not on purpose,” Monken said. “It was just every other day.” The pads came off and went back on according to their own calendar. The quarterbacks alternated according to a different one. Things got out of sync.”

Now the assumption is Deshaun Watson will start the first preseason game in Chicago. As of this writing, nothing has been announced. But if you listened to our podcast, (The Fanatical Elfz Network) on Friday afternoon, you would have heard me say I thought Watson was going to be the starter against the Bears. My reasoning was, he’s not going to be with the team next year, give him the opportunity to showcase himself for his next team in 2027. Also, Monken right now is trying to coach out the continuing bad habit of this team and pre snap penalties. He hates them as much as the fans. Hell, members of the media wanted to run Kevin Stafanski out of town in 2024 because the Browns led the league in pre snap penalties. Watson is way better at getting the team to the line of scrimmage and getting the play called without mistakes. Sanders just can’t do this, mainly because in college he didn’t have to. I’m going to wait and see if Monken announces Sanders as the starter in preseason game two.

The plain honest truth is that this quarterback room is average at best. Watson is better pre snap than Sanders. Maybe it’s just a case of both options are bad, and the head coach is picking the option that’s the least objectionable in terms of what happens on the field. When Dillon Gabriel is the most consistent quarterback on this team that should tell you everything. All I know is, today’s media availability by Monken is a must listen. Stay safe and Go Browns.

The Cleveland Browns are in their second week of training camp and here is what I’ve heard. The national media is trying to make the quarterback competition more than it really is. I’ve been told it’s a competition between two average quarterbacks so far. Deshaun Watson is making the same mistakes over and over and Sheduer Sanders is making fewer mistakes than Watson. Watson’s errors are happening post-snap and Sander’s errors are happening pre-snap. Not very encouraging. I’ve had more than one person tell me Watson looks like the same player who started 1-7 before getting hurt in 2024. Sander’s is still holding on to the ball too long. Thank goodness the Browns aren’t counting sacks.

It’s starting to be reported that right now Dillon Gabriel is having the best camp of the three quarterbacks. He gets the offense lined up faster than Sanders and is throwing the ball quicker than Watson. This is not to suggest Gabriel is going to be the Browns starting in 2026, but according to coach Monken, he’s earning more reps. So who gets reps taken away? We’ll find out soon. Gabriel just needs confidence. He was thrown to the wolves last year and never looked comfortable. Just remember last year he played behind the same offensive line and the same lack of talent at the skill positions that Flacco and Sanders had in 2025.

Running back Quinshon Judkins and Isaiah Bond look great so far. Judkins is showing the burst and speed we all expected last year. Bond has put on ten pounds of muscle, and it shows. Denzel Boston and K.C. Concepcion have so far instantly upgraded the wide receiver room, but remember, they’re rookies. Harold Fannin is catching everything. Rookie draft pick TE Carson Ryan is impressing the coaching staff.

The offensive line looked bad their first day in pads, but the Browns defensive line is excellent. The OL will settle down once they find their right guard and center. Hopefully it will be soon, these guys have to have time to jell.

On defense, cornerback Denzel Ward hasn’t allowed a completion. DE Jared Verse is better than advertised. Mason Graham and Mike Hall are spending most of their time in the offensive backfield. LB Quincy Williams is the real deal. Rookie undrafted cornerback Michael Coats is also looking good; he’s getting more comfortable every day. I’m still concerned about the depth at defensive line, linebacker and cornerback, some veteran help would be helpful. Stay safe and Go Browns.