The Cleveland Browns' quarterback competition might have just taken a decisive turn. Coach Todd Monken revealed a practice plan that all but confirms Deshaun Watson will be under center when the regular season kicks off, leaving rookie Shedeur Sanders on the outside looking in.
Monken announced that the starters will get a heavy workload during Thursday's joint practice with the Buffalo Bills—and if they perform up to expectations, they'll be rewarded with a day off on Saturday when the two teams meet in a preseason game. That essentially means Watson, who has been taking first-team reps, will get the nod for Week 1.
"We both talked about that if we see out of our ones, our group, our older players what we want to see on Thursday, they would not play in the game," Monken said. "We agreed upon that. The plan is that we'll play our ones a significant amount against each other on Thursday in a controlled environment. Not that the other guys aren't going to get reps, but in a controlled environment and see where we're at."
For Sanders, this is a brutal signal. If the coaching staff were genuinely considering him for the starting job, they wouldn't bench the entire first-team offense in the preseason finale. Instead, they'd want to see him operate with the starters against live competition. By resting the ones, Monken is effectively telling the world that the decision is already made.
Sanders did little to change that narrative in the preseason opener against the Chicago Bears. He completed just 11 of 15 passes for 79 yards and threw a costly interception—a play that he owned up to afterward. "It was the right read," Sanders said. "It just slipped. … I just didn't execute the decision, but the right decision was made."
That kind of mistake, while common for a rookie, only amplifies the gap between him and Watson, who looked sharp in his limited action, completing 11 of 15 for 126 yards. The Browns' coaching staff has always been high on Watson's talent, and with a defense that's ready to win now, they're not likely to gamble on an unproven rookie.
Even if Sanders were to light up Thursday's joint practice and then play well in Saturday's game, the deck is stacked against him. Monken's plan suggests the team is prioritizing continuity and experience, not development. That's a tough pill to swallow for Sanders, who has already had to apologize to reporters for a training camp snub and has faced doubts after his pick.
The Browns open their season on Sept. 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Unless something drastic happens in the next few days, it's going to be Watson's show. Sanders will have to wait his turn, and this practice plan makes it clear that his time hasn't come yet—at least not for Week 1.
