Rich Breaks Down the Latest in the Cleveland Browns’ QB Competition

The Browns quarterback room keeps talking, and the more everyone says, the clearer it gets who the odd man out is.

Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson both spoke, with Watson declaring himself "a changed individual." He has one year to prove it. Todd Monken, meanwhile, won't name a starter, and the show couldn't get enough of how he said it.

Asked when he'd name a number one, Monken essentially said he might not. Neither Watson nor Sanders has played well enough to win the job or poorly enough to be knocked out of it. "I think both can start and play winning football. I'm convinced of it," Monken said. "I can't decide now because I think both have earned the opportunity to continue to compete once we put the pads on." Pressed on whether the lack of a clear starter was a problem, he rejected it flatly. It would only be a problem if he didn't believe in either guy, and he believes in both.

Sanders, for his part, offered a telling compliment about Monken. The coach reminded him of someone familiar, a guy whose expectations leave you no choice but to be great or get out of the way. The show ran with the obvious read: Monken reminds Sanders of his father, Deion Sanders. "Deion Monken," as the crew dubbed him, would be a great name for Todd.

Then there was the voice. Monken's hoarse delivery became its own bit, with the crew marveling that he makes Doc Rivers sound full-throated and somehow makes Mitch sound healthy. If that's his June voice, Rich wondered, what does October sound like? Godfather, someone offered. "That's the coachiest sound bite I've ever heard," Rich said, admitting the whole program was falling for Todd Monken.

The one person for whom none of this is good news is Dillon Gabriel. Monken didn't mention him among the two competing to start, and Gabriel already lost his number to Jared Verse, whom Rich described as a body snatcher. Where's QB8?

Rich did push back on the idea that not knowing your starter in June is automatically a crisis. The Vikings don't know theirs either, he noted. Sure, you'd rather have certainty, the kind that comes with a quarterback you've already committed to. But if you're not that team, having two players you genuinely believe you can win with isn't the worst spot.

As for how it plays out, Rich made his prediction and owned his bias. He's a self-described Sanders caper, caping for Deion and Shedeur. Even so, his read is that the Browns give Watson the first look, because they came back from the Achilles injury and have invested too much, in resources and internal grief, not to see what they have. If the first half of the season doesn't go well enough, then they turn to Sanders, because Cleveland is loaded with draft choices over the next few years, including a quarterback-heavy class next year.

That's the way it's going to go, Rich figures. Watson first, Sanders waiting, and Gabriel still looking for his number.