The Cleveland Browns will play their second preseason game on Saturday when they host the Buffalo Bills.
Normally, it would be an afternoon of getting in some work and hoping that no one gets injured, but the game has taken on a bit more meaning concerning the ongoing quarterback competition.
Shedeur Sanders is set to get the starting nod, with Deshaun Watson coming on in the third quarter. There is some uncertainty about which starters will actually be in the huddle with Sanders, however, as head
coach Todd Monken stated earlier this week that if Thursday’s joint practice with the Bills goes well, there will be no need for some starters to play on Saturday.
How all that fits into Monken’s decision-making regarding the Week 1 starting quarterback against the Jacksonville Jaguars remains to be seen. But with the final preseason game coming up on August 27 and the regular season not far behind, it seems likely that Monken will crown a winner early next week.
But before they get to Saturday’s game, the Browns need to make it through the practice with the Bills, and there is no way to guarantee that the practice reps will be split evenly between Watson and Sanders on Thursday, according to Monken:
“Everybody uses the word even, or equal, or fair. The reality is each block’s a little bit different: run downs, pass downs, pass skelly, and red zone. So, they’re each going to get five and five with the ones, and they’re all going to get it. But what plays they get, I really don’t have time to look at exactly what the plays are. You’ve got to be able to go do it. But I’m excited to see them play.”
While these next few days are going to be important, Sanders said he is treating it like just another day at work:
“I’ll say every day of my life is important. Every day is important; I wouldn’t say there’s a day that’s not important. So, that’s just another day going out there doing what I’ve got to do, honestly. I don’t really feel anxiety or any pressure going into things like that anymore, because that’s how I approach everything. It’s just another day of going to work; that’s all it is for me.”
For Watson, the opportunity to play, even if it is in a preseason game against backups, is beneficial after having only played in 19 regular-season games since 2000:
“I think every opportunity, regardless of if it’s first quarter, first half, or third quarter, is really just being able to go out there, execute, get those live reps, guys flying, bullets flying, both teams on the sideline. Practice is a little different; it’s more controlled, but this is not. But anytime we’re out there on the field in live game action, it’s definitely good for anybody out there, especially myself playing quarterback, getting that feeling, the timing and rhythm back, is definitely a good opportunity.”
This has been a most uninspiring quarterback competition as Monken has to choose from a group of players who each have their limitations. But someone has to be the starter, and we may only be days away from finding out who Monken prefers in that role.
