Shedeur Sanders isn’t one to mince words. He’s been criticized even during this preseason for some of his reactions after uneven performances. But when first-year Cleveland Browns coach Todd Monken named embattled veteran Deshaun Watson the Week 1 starter over the weekend, Monken then went on to praise Sanders for how he handled the news.
“All he had was a smile on his face,” Monken told reporters of Sanders after the news broke.
That’s not just the reaction of a player who’s come a long way as a professional, but one of a player who knows he’s not completely out of the picture yet. That’s the state of the Cleveland Browns right now, and proof that Sanders is probably just as motivated as he was in his rookie season to prove the the team once again made a poor decision.
Shedeur Sanders still has a future in Cleveland, even if it’s delayed
Monken applauded Sanders for how he reacted after being named QB2, and specifically talked about his young passer seeing the bigger picture. That’s how you have to look at things in Cleveland. The team made a $230 million mistake and will be paying for it long after Watson’s off the team thanks to outrageous void years left on his contract. But Monken knows he’ll be afforded more than one season to turn this franchise around, which is exactly why Sanders shouldn’t fret. In fact, history shows he’ll probably have a chance to prove his worth to the franchise at some point this season.
“You talk about someone who really understands the long game,” Monken said, per Browns beat reporter Dan Labbe. “… That is what is so awesome about Shedeur understanding that.”
Todd Monken on how Shedeur Sanders handled the news this morning #browns pic.twitter.com/NLNc4PPVkF
— Dan Labbe (@dan_labbe) August 24, 2026
Since the Browns traded for Watson, they haven’t gone a full season with only one quarterback under center. Watson has played just 19 games over four seasons despite starting Week 1 in two of them; he missed all of 2024 with a twice-torn Achilles and missed the first 11 games of the 2022 season due to his suspension. For one reason or another, Watson will probably not finish the season as the starter.
Sanders has proven an ability to grow since his rookie season, and that he’s still worth giving a chance amid what should be a lost year. Why Watson is getting another unearned shot is still a mystery, but it doesn’t mean that much in the grand scheme. After all, he slashed the fan base for rightfully feeling frustrated with his play. It was wrong for Browns fans to cheer when he tore his Achilles against the Cincinnati Bengals, but warranted for them to feel disrespected by a player who hasn’t earned a single dollar the Browns have paid him.
The Browns will be looking for a new quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft, and maybe that’s why they want to start Watson in 2026. Give him the best chance to fail in the first half so a motivated Sanders doesn’t win too many games.
Why Shedeur Sanders shouldn’t be judged on his preseason performance
Sanders hasn’t looked horrible in two preseason games, but he hasn’t looked great — and honestly, that’s not his fault. He played in the second half of Cleveland’s first preseason game and didn’t even run with the starters in his first preseason start of 2026. That said, he still managed to throw a touchdown pass, something Watson can’t claim. Take that information and do what you will with it. The fact is, though, that Sanders hasn’t gotten as much run with the starters as Watson and yet has looked better at times than he did last year.
Since Watson got to Cleveland, he has yet to have a 300-yard passing game — Sanders had one in his rookie season — and has just two games in three seasons with more than 275 passing yards. That’s why Cleveland should be optimistic about Sanders. He’s not a great option, but we all know he’s better than Watson.
He’ll eventually get his chance to play, but Jimmy Haslam and the front office feel they need one last ditch effort to see if Watson can look like even a fraction worth his contract. Sanders will get to play this season, and if Watson spirals early, it could happen before the trade deadline. Cleveland hasn’t given up hope on Sanders. For some odd reason, they still have hope in Watson.
Sanders knows he’ll be just fine in Cleveland; which is exactly why he didn’t have a hot-headed reaction.
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