Browns head coach Todd Monken lands his man in Cleveland after missing him in last year’s draft

Todd Monken was named head coach of the Cleveland Browns after Kevin Stefanski was let go following a 5-12 season in which not a whole lot went right. Monken is now in charge of turning things around and it seems like he has exactly the man he was looking for last year, after missing out on him in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Monken the new boss in Cleveland

Shedeur Sanders came in to the Browns facility to greet his new coach and was welcomed by a big hug and a proclamation from his new boss. Monken wrapped his arms around Sanders and reminded him that the Baltimore Ravens, the team that he served as offensive coordinator for the last two years, tried to draft Sanders last year. “We tried to draft your ass last year. For God´s sake. It all worked out.”

Sanders apparently told the Ravens not to draft him because he didn’t want to be put into a situation in which he would be backing up two time MVP Lamar Jackson. The Ravens obliged and he was eventually drafted by the Cleveland Browns four picks later.

Monken didn´t exactly want Shedeur coming to Baltimore to take the starting role, but he was probably thought of as a viable option to come in and play that safety net role incase Jackson got injured throughout the season. Sanders had other ideas. Shedeur wanted to go to a team that needed a QB of the future now, but he was forced to wait longer than he, or anyone else, had expected to hear his name called during the selection show.

QB controversy coming in Cleveland

The draft came as a big shock to Sanders, who was projected to be a top pick in the first round. Instead, he dropped all the way down to the fifth round, and was taken with the 144th pick by the Cleveland Browns. To make things even more head scratching, he went to a team that took a rookie quarterback in the same draft, but two rounds earlier.

Cleveland had a mess at the quarterback position last year, and Todd Monken is going to inherit that mess. They currently have three quarterbacks on the roster heading into next season. Deshaun Watson is coming off a two torn achilles tendon injuries, but was he was supposed to be the man after the Browns traded for him in 2022 and signed him to a fully guaranteed $230 million dollar deal. Since then, he has played 19 games, due to suspensions and injuries.

Then you have the soon to be second year quarterbacks. Last year is was Dillon Gabriel who was named the second string QB after Joe Flacco got the starting job in Week 1. Gabriel took over in Week 5, played six games and went 1-5 in those games before suffering a concussion and spending the rest of the season on the bench. Sander came in and went 3-4 in the final seven weeks of the season. It’s going to be an interesting offseason and preseason in Cleveland as they search for their QB of the future.

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