Shedeur Sanders took first-team reps in Todd Monken’s first Browns…

April 22, 2026

Shedeur Sanders took first-team reps in Todd Monken’s first Browns…

BEREA, Ohio — On the first day of Cleveland Browns voluntary minicamp, two quarterbacks obtained first-team snaps.

Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson each obtained first-team snaps during team drills during the first significant follow under new head coach Todd Monken. Dillon Gabriel didn’t obtain first-team snaps.

That construction was intentional, Monken said, and a advice from quarterbacks coach Mike Bajakian that Monken authorised.

Sanders obtained first-team snaps initially in 11-on-11 drills.

“He was first man up,” Monken said Tuesday afternoon. “The way it was going to turn out, Shedeur was going to get more reps, some of it in [seven on seven] some of it in [11 on 11]. Team periods were slowed down [and] set up in a way for us to get a look at all of them.

“The plan was to have Shedeur get a few more reps but have Deshaun and Shedeur both have reps with the ones.”

Monken said the distribution of first-team snaps will change throughout this week’s three-day voluntary minicamp. He pushed again on the characterization that Sanders and Watson are the two candidates with an opportunity to start.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a two-man race,” Monken said. “I would just say that at every position, there’s competition. Irrespective of the reps they get, which I’ve said before, everybody ought to be competing.”

Monken praised Gabriel’s “professionalism” and “intelligence,” Gabriel saying he’s targeted on controlling what he can management and working his personal race.

The Browns chosen Gabriel in the third round of last yr’s NFL Draft and then chosen Sanders in the fifth round. Cleveland acquired Watson in a commerce from the Houston Texans in 2022. But since the Browns paid a good-looking price for Watson that included three first-round picks, Watson has sustained a shoulder injury and ACL tears that have sidelined him since October 2024. Between those accidents and his 11-game suspension for violating the league’s private conduct coverage, Watson has missed 49 of 68 regular-season contests in his 4 years as a Brown.

Watson returned to follow in December after present process a second ACL restore in January 2025. Monken said he didn’t see rust from those accidents during Tuesday’s two-hour follow session.

“The ball’s coming out great,” Monken said. “I can’t get into his body to know how his body felt. But he moved around great and the ball came out great.”

Defense ahead of offense in Browns minicamp team drills

Sanders, Watson and Gabriel started follow by biking by means of footwork drills and throwing routes on air. Watson’s motion was fluid during transitions and handoffs, and he spoke to gamers on the aspect after some reps including advising a tryout receiver, Keith Kirkwood, after they shared the area during a second-team, 11-on-11 snap.

Sanders hit receiver Isaiah Bond in the flat during team drills on consecutive performs at one point.

The protection acquired a hand on a ball from each quarterback across seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 drills, twice securing interceptions and as soon as a move breakup.

Linebacker Quincy Williams dove for a move breakup of Watson during a first-team snap on which Watson focused Bond. The next play, Watson hit receiver Malachi Corley in site visitors on an intermediate route.

Corley had more hassle on a later seven-on-seven deep ball down the proper sideline from Sanders, Corley slowing briefly alongside his route before rushing up too late. Cornerback D’Angelo Ross intercepted the move.

Gabriel’s interception got here after security Daniel Thomas batted a move and tryout security JT Woods then caught its deflection for the decide.

Sanders said the follow, including his throw to Corley, supplied a chance for accountability.

“I threw Malachi a go ball and he slowed down and I said, ‘Hey,’ I gave him that look [and] said ‘Bro, we can’t afford that,’” Sanders said. “So you give guys chances and some things go your way, some things don’t. But at the end of the day we had a serious, deeper connection … So next time he got out there, lined up one on one and he was able to go get it.”

Monken acknowledged the want to enhance ball safety however praised the quarterbacks’ command at the line of scrimmage.

“I thought the quarterbacks functioned unbelievably today in terms of checking plays, getting us out of [audibled plays],” he said. “I thought they were in command. I never felt at one time like they were lost. I thought all the work they put in the last couple weeks leading up to today… to me, that’s the start of it. The start of it is how we function, how they lead, is there a belief system and who has the ball in their hands every play.”

What the Browns QB competitors will take into account

Browns common supervisor Andrew Berry has acknowledged the risk the Browns draft a quarterback at some point this week. For now, Sanders and Watson look like the leaders in the clubhouse.

Sanders accomplished 56.6% of his passes in eight games, seven begins, last season. He threw for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions in addition to speeding 21 occasions for 169 yards and one score.

The Browns gained three of seven games he began.

Across his profession, Watson has accomplished 66.2% of passes for 17,904 yards, 123 touchdowns and 48 interceptions with a 37-35 file in begins.

His Browns tenure has paled in comparability to his Texans manufacturing, Watson’s passer rating down from 104.5 to 80.7. The Browns gained just one in every of seven games he began in 2024, Watson’s landing share down from his 5.3% profession common to 2.3%.

The Browns will monitor which quarterback’s skill set and command of the offense will best place them to succeed from Week 1.

Last yr, the Browns had 4 quarterbacks competing in the offseason and finally began veteran Joe Flacco in Week 1. And yet, Flacco was restricted by means of practices in the spring and training camp because the Browns didn’t consider he wanted the same quantity of development that they have been giving first to Kenny Pickett and then Gabriel.

Watson has a a lot deeper financial institution of psychological reps at the NFL level however also has missed vital time, his last live reps coming in October of 2024.

How will the quarterbacks study their new playbook, as they transition from Kevin Stefanski’s offense to that of Monken?

“I know how I learn,” Sanders said when requested. “Knowing that I know how I learn is great. The coaches are able to communicate in different ways to help you learn and that’s why I appreciate the coaching staff, honestly.

“You could say somebody don’t know how to learn but it’s like, how did the person get all the way to this level if he don’t know how to learn?

“So then you got to change the perspective and think: Does he not know how to learn or do I not know how to communicate with him?”

Watson didn’t tackle reporters Tuesday.

Sanders thanked coaches for embracing him and said he didn’t need to make schematic comparisons between last season and this one because he needed to deal with positivity and searching ahead. He said he would review the tape and situational room for progress from last yr — Sanders said Monken’s latest dialog about the significance of daily regiments resonated with him — however in any other case was attempting to take away negativity from his life.

“I recalibrated my life to view everything as fun,” Sanders said.

Including the quarterback competitors?

“We’re competing against ourselves,” Sanders said.“That’s not up to me. I go out there every day and focus on what I can control.

“If I focused on something I can’t control, I’d be living the wrong way.”

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