The quarterback battles in Cleveland are getting old as the Browns head into yet another year with uncertainty at the position. Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson are firmly entrenched in a back-and-forth battle for the Week 1 job and new head coach Todd Monken has sounded like he wants to make a decision quickly, although Sanders is reportedly making that decision more difficult than it was prior to OTAs.
It’s tough to get an accurate assessment of who the leader in the clubhouse is. There have been a lot of conflicting reports about Watson and Sanders depending on who you listen to, and Browns legend Josh Cribbs recently added his two cents to reveal the latest he has heard on the situation.
During a recent appearance on BIGPLAY Cleveland, Cribbs is hearing Todd Monken has already made a decision.
“The starter is known in the building. Without a shadow of doubt, the starter is known in the building. There was an in-house discussion that you guys will flip-flop reps and such, and we’re gonna follow as accordingly, but we’re just going to do everything in-house,” Cribbs said.
Have the Browns decided on QB1 without telling the public? #DawgPound
“Without a shadow of doubt, the starter is known in the building.”
– @JoshCribbs16 pic.twitter.com/9AOCRjneV8
— BIGPLAY Cleveland (@BIGPLAYcle) June 17, 2026
It’s hard to believe that Monken and company don’t at least have a good idea of who the starter will be. Most indications pointed towards Watson until Sanders ended OTAs on a strong note while getting extended reps with the starters, but perhaps that was only to help him along in his development and further cement the decision.
Starting Watson makes the most sense since it’s easier to pivot from him to Sanders if need be than the other way around. Watson could also play well and open up a window for the Browns to trade him just like they did with last year’s Week 1 starter, Joe Flacco.
Since a decision hasn’t been made yet, there probably won’t be an official announcement until at least the beginning of training camp. That means everyone will have a lot more time to speculate over something that all Browns fans are begging to reach a conclusion.
It’s at least a more optimistic QB battle than the team had last year. The Browns could take a solid step forward as a team if either of these two can have even an average season under center.
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