As the Cleveland Browns prepare to set sail with their next set of offseason activities on Tuesday
, everything is in front of them now that the preseason and regular season schedules have been released. Whether it is the report that QB Deshaun Watson has taken the lead over QB Shedeur Sanders, or our list of nine young quarterbacks Browns fans should be rooting for this season, the QB position will once again take center stage.With new HC Todd Monken bringing in his system and GM Andrew Berry adding
talent to the offense, Watson and Sanders have a chance to wipe away anything from the past. For Watson, that is uniquely special given his horrific struggles since being acquired in a trade back in 2022.
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, transcribed by Bleacher Report, not only has Watson been given a fresh start, but Monken and Watson have “hit it off” during the early time together:
“[Deshaun Watson] will be a factor in OTAs when they start going with first-team reps, second-team reps,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday on SportsCenter. “So, he’s been a factor already on the practice field. I’m told he’s hit it off with Todd Monken, who’s got an offensive concept, some elements that Watson has run in the past and been his best at; a little bit of a departure from what they were running with Kevin Stefanski.
While Stefanski’s system may have been an issue for Watson, his performance on the field and injuries that kept him off of it were real as well. Watson has only played 19 games for Cleveland since being acquired, missing all of the 2025 season and a majority of the other three (suspension, injuries). In those three seasons, the former Clemson Tiger completed just 61% of his passes with 19 TDs and 12 INTs while being sacked 70 times, over 3.5 per game played.
Monken has made it clear that he would like to have a clear starter at quarterback heading into training camp. As of now, all of the reporting seems to be leaning toward Watson being that guy.
