Cleveland Browns HC brushed off concerns after a sudden practice shakeup, which fueled rumors that the team's quarterback battle was over. First major decision awaits ahead of preseason game with Chicago Bears looms.
Day 10 of Cleveland Browns training camp came with a stunning twist, when veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson wound up taking all of the first-team reps throughout practice on a day that was supposed to be Shedeur Sanders' day with the starting group.
Following the session, a team spokesperson clarified via Monken that he simply wanted to see Watson with some specific personnel groupings. The answer seemed less than sufficient to many fans who felt Cleveland's head man was essentially calling the competition early and anointing Watson the starter.
After a day off on Sunday, Monken returned to practice on Monday with a more detailed explanation for the situation.
"Shedeur on Saturday took the ones in the walk-[through], so I anticipated him being with the ones," Monken said. "When I walked out, guys grabbed me and said, 'hey, the last couple days we've been kind of looking at it. Shedeur's got a few more reps with the ones.' That's all it was. I wasn't even at the moment— I was like, yeah, sure, we'll flip it, and then next week we'll go the other way. I sure as hell wasn't thinking about coming back in here and telling all you guys that I was going to change my mind. Because I really don't have to."
As head coach, Monken is certainly free to change up his practice plans whenever he wants. The switch just seemed to catch everyone off guard on Saturday, considering how consistent the rotation of the two QBs had been throughout camp, with each getting every other day with the first-team.
Monken had also hinted at Watson potentially getting one 7-on-7 session with the ones, but not the entire practice. From his perspective, though, the speculation that swirled afterward was amusing but much ado about nothing.
The competition is set to continue leading into the Browns' first preseason game this weekend against the Chicago Bears. Monken laid out his plan for both QBs in the days ahead, which will begin with Sanders working with the first team on Monday.
"Shedeur is going to go today with the ones, unless on the way out I change my mind and then he won't," Monken joked. "Just like any other player in terms of how we rotate them. And the bottom line is, is the speculation, which I find kind of funny, is as long as we're still sharing reps, it's a competition."
The rest of the week is expected to play out with Watson running with the ones on Tuesday, then Sanders again on Wednesday.
"I promise you, I'll tell you. When I know what we're going to be doing, you'll know," Monken stated.
The first-time head coach will have his first major decision to make with the quarterback after that. In the One of the two signal callers will have to start against the Bears on Saturday, with the other likely to start the following week against the Buffalo Bills.
Monken said he hopes to give his starters the first series of the game in Chicago. Which QB gets to open the preseason under center will reveal itself in the coming days. Considering how the last few have gone, there's no telling which way Monken is leaning just yet.
