- May 21, 2026
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After Deshaun Watson started against the Bears on Saturday, Browns head coach Todd Monken detailed how he'll divide the QB reps between Watson and second-year signal-caller Shedeur Sanders on Sunday.
Monken said Cleveland will have a joint practice with Buffalo on Thursday before the two clubs face off in a preseason game on Saturday. Sanders is slated to start that game.
“I think we’re going to go Shedeur on Monday and Wednesday, and Deshaun [on] Tuesday and Thursday, but Thursday is really both,” Monken said in his Sunday video conference, via transcript from the team. “I’m meeting with [Bills head coach] Joe Brady here, at four, we’re trying to get blocks set up and run-downs so we can get 16 plays where maybe we go five with the ones, three with the twos, five with the ones, three with the twos, which means both quarterbacks get five reps in each block. Run-downs, pass-downs, red zone, two-minute, those kinds of things we’re going to work through in 27 minutes.”
With Sanders in particular, Monken said the quarterback has “improved so much,” but there still is room to get better.
“I mean he really has in terms of climbing the pocket and working through his progressions. Even on the one he threw to 81 [Luke Floriea] in the slot, like he drifted too deep,” Monken said. “We caught him in the blitz, but they weren’t even close. He created some of his own pressure. There are things, and operational, it’s still a part of it: getting in the huddle, getting lined up, getting the call. So does Deshaun. They’re both in the same manner, so we can stack plays together. We did a good job. Maybe the most positive thing we did was we overcame some penalties — we overcame a first-and-25, we overcame a couple other penalties, and we hit that big third-and-13 that Shedeur did. So how can we play cleaner at all positions, and certainly with him, how can he play cleaner?”
The Browns will look to see that against the Blls next Saturday.
Monken said Cleveland will have a joint practice with Buffalo on Thursday before the two clubs face off in a preseason game on Saturday. Sanders is slated to start that game.
“I think we’re going to go Shedeur on Monday and Wednesday, and Deshaun [on] Tuesday and Thursday, but Thursday is really both,” Monken said in his Sunday video conference, via transcript from the team. “I’m meeting with [Bills head coach] Joe Brady here, at four, we’re trying to get blocks set up and run-downs so we can get 16 plays where maybe we go five with the ones, three with the twos, five with the ones, three with the twos, which means both quarterbacks get five reps in each block. Run-downs, pass-downs, red zone, two-minute, those kinds of things we’re going to work through in 27 minutes.”
With Sanders in particular, Monken said the quarterback has “improved so much,” but there still is room to get better.
“I mean he really has in terms of climbing the pocket and working through his progressions. Even on the one he threw to 81 [Luke Floriea] in the slot, like he drifted too deep,” Monken said. “We caught him in the blitz, but they weren’t even close. He created some of his own pressure. There are things, and operational, it’s still a part of it: getting in the huddle, getting lined up, getting the call. So does Deshaun. They’re both in the same manner, so we can stack plays together. We did a good job. Maybe the most positive thing we did was we overcame some penalties — we overcame a first-and-25, we overcame a couple other penalties, and we hit that big third-and-13 that Shedeur did. So how can we play cleaner at all positions, and certainly with him, how can he play cleaner?”
The Browns will look to see that against the Blls next Saturday.