Shedeur Sanders still has a fan in Todd Monken.
The Browns head coach spoke to the media following the team’s preseason opener, which saw up-and-down play from the second-year quarterback, who is competing for a starting job in training camp.
Monken is seeing improvements from the Colorado alum, who was infamously selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft after being projected to go significantly higher.
“I mean, he really has [gotten better] in terms of climbing the pocket and working through his progressions,” Monken said, later adding, “We caught him in the blitz, but they weren’t even close.”
Monken continued of Sanders, “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 [Watson]. 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?”
Sanders opened up the 2025 preseason completing just 6 of 11 passes for 79 yards, throwing one interception, and recording two carries for three yards on the ground.
Sanders made seven starts and one additional appearance as a rookie, finishing with 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions, while only completing 56.6 percent of his passes.
He also ran for 169 yards on 21 carries, recording one touchdown.
The aforementioned Watson — in his first game since rupturing his Achilles on October 20, 2024 — completed 11-of-15 for 126 yards, though he lost a fumble during the game.
Dillon Gabriel, drafted in the third round of 2025, went 5-for-8 for just 23 yards and one interception.
The Browns lost 34-10 to the Bears, and they’ll host the Bills on Aug. 22 as the preseason continues.
Their regular season will kick off on Sept. 13 in Jacksonville.
