Todd Monken Named Cleveland Browns Head Coach Amid Quarterback Competition
Authored by sportsite777.com, Feb 26, 2026
Todd Monken was introduced as the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns on February 3, 2026, at the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus in Berea, Ohio.[1][2] One of his stated priorities is determining the Week 1 starting quarterback for the 2026 NFL season.
According to a Fox News Digital report, Monken's options include Deshaun Watson, Dillon Gabriel -- selected by the Browns in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft -- and Shedeur Sanders, who started the final seven games of the 2025 season.[1]
Watson was traded to the Browns from the Houston Texans on March 18, 2022, and signed a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract.[3][4] The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback has appeared in 20 regular-season games for Cleveland through 2024, compiling an 8-12 record, including a 1-6 mark in 2024 before an Achilles tendon injury ended his season.[4][5]
Dillon Gabriel, a quarterback who played college football at the University of Oregon after stints at UCF and Oklahoma, entered the 2025 NFL Draft eligible after his senior season.[6][7]
Shedeur Sanders, son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, played college quarterback at Colorado after Jackson State and was eligible for the 2025 NFL Draft.[6][8] The report notes Sanders started seven games to close the 2025 season and was a fifth-round pick of the Browns.[1]
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Monken described Sanders as possessing elite playmaking ability demonstrated in college and on tape from last year, while expressing optimism about all quarterbacks competing.[1]
The report also states that the Baltimore Ravens, where Monken served as offensive coordinator under John Harbaugh since 2023, had interest in drafting Sanders as a backup to Lamar Jackson, but Sanders sought a starting opportunity elsewhere.[1][9]
Cleveland Browns Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Thomas, in an interview with Fox News Digital, called former teammate Myles Garrett the best defensive pass rusher he has ever seen.[1]
Sources
- Fox News Digital, "One of Todd Monken’s main priorities as the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns...", February 2026, https://www.foxnews.com/sports
- Cleveland Browns, "CrossCountry Mortgage Campus", accessed February 2026, https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/facilities/crosscountry-mortgage-campus
- NFL.com, "Deshaun Watson traded to Browns in blockbuster deal", March 18, 2022, https://www.nfl.com/news/deshaun-watson-traded-to-browns-for-2022-first-round-pick-carolina-deebo-samuel-three-team-trade
- Spotrac, "Deshaun Watson Contract Details", accessed February 2026, https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/deshaun-watson-19998/
- Pro-Football-Reference.com, "Deshaun Watson Game Logs", accessed February 2026, https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WatsDe00/gamelog/
- Wikipedia, "2025 NFL Draft", accessed February 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_NFL_draft
- Wikipedia, "Dillon Gabriel", accessed February 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dillon_Gabriel
- Wikipedia, "Shedeur Sanders", accessed February 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shedeur_Sanders