The start of training camp means the Browns’ quarterback competition between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson is about to heat up.
But things are effectively status quo from the offseason program as practices get underway this week.
“Yeah, nothing’s really changed,” head coach Todd Monken said during his Wednesday press conference. “We anticipate alternating. First of all, all four quarterbacks are going to compete. They all won’t get equal reps. Obviously, we will alternate, just like we did in the spring, Deshaun and Shedeur with the ones.”
Aside from Sanders and Watson, second-year QB Dillon Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green are also on the team’s roster. They may not be at the top of the depth chart right now, as Monken mentioned, he’s expecting them to be a factor.
“Obviously, [if] you don’t have as many opportunities, you’ve got to take advantage of the opportunities you get,” Monken said. “But you never know how it’s going to go at any position. Minor injuries are a part of training camp. So, guys go down, their shoulder’s a little sore and Dillon comes in and plays well — or another position.
“Again, we have to divide the reps up according to the depth chart. In a perfect world in camp, me personally, I would prefer the ones get 50 percent, the twos get 33 percent, and the threes get 17 percent, and somewhere the other guys have got to fill in. Can you always count on that? No. So, the more those guys, you start to see them with the ones, you can kind of anticipate they’re our starters.”
Monken said the Browns don’t have to choose who will be the starter until the beginning of the regular season. He’s planning on playing starters in the preseason, beginning with the Aug. 15 matchup with the Bears.
“We’ve got to see what we’ve got, especially at quarterback,” Monken said.
As for that final choice, Monken noted repeatedly that it will be a performance-dictated conclusion.
“Ultimately, I’m not going to decide who the starter is. They decide by their play. Their play decides who the starter is,” Monken said. “I don’t have any preconceived notions of how they’re played in theist or how they’re going to play. I only can, with my eyes, judge. And guys have got to play well around them. I think we’ve shored up some things up front. We’ve added some weapons on the perimeter, so I think that’s going to help.
“But they’ll decide who plays — I don’t decide who plays, the players decide who plays.”
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