BEREA, OHIO – JULY 29: Head coach Todd Monken of the Cleveland Browns directs a drill during Cleveland Browns Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 29, 2026 in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After a weekend full of questions about QB Deshaun Watson having any future in the NFL at all, including a look at the salary cap issues if the Cleveland Browns released him, HC Todd Monken will reportedly name Watson the starting quarterback for 2026 over QB Shedeur Sanders.

Monken will get up in front of the media on Monday and explain his decision, noting things, as GM Andrew Berry has done previously, about “production” and “giving us the best chance to win.” The Browns head coach will say nice things about Sanders and him making the competition tight throughout the process. The Cleveland beat reporters will try to get Monken to narrow down what specific things led to the decision.

Whether the “straight-shooting” coach gives answers that make sense and that we believe will be interesting to find out.

Below is a list of potential reasons the Browns picked Watson over Sanders. Some are serious, and some are very much trying to make light of a situation that has most fans ready to pack it up for the season before the third preseason game even kicks off. (Of note to this author, Watson has been, and could be again, the only reason Cleveland fans have stopped caring about the team. Not The Move, the winless season, or the 1-win season, or every other terrible decision- just Watson: acquiring/paying him, his performance, and now him being named the starter).

On to the list:

CadenceGetting plays in and out of the huddle quicklyUnlocking the QB run gameCollecting more contract insurance if he’s injured againTie goes to the veteranTie goes to the biggest contractThey have a good trade offer for Sanders and plan to take itEasier to go from veteran to youngster than vice versaSanders is lacking/not doing something really important behind the scenesOwner Jimmy Haslam, who went to Watson’s wedding, said soSince The Move, it’s been one big psyop to see how much it would actually take to ruin the greatest fanbase in the worldThey want to lose as many games as possible, and starting Watson could help and help ruin Sanders’ confidence for when he does get inRock-bottoming the fans’ hope so that the resurgence feels even bigger in time for opening the domeThey don’t care one bit what fans think (Generally, I’m on board with this, but that press conference…)Watson has a stronger armThey want less risky throws, prefer dink-and-dunkThey flipped a coinDeion Sanders said something Monken didn’t like when he visited BereaSunk cost fallacy isn’t a fallacy; it’s a market inefficiencySomeone lost a bet“This is all a simulation, nothing really matters, eat at Arby’s” – SB Nation’s Mark SchofieldSomeone won a bet“There are 50,000 Deshaun Watson bobbleheads in a bunker they need to get rid of” – SB Nation’s James DatorThey had already decided when they hired Monken, and maybe it was part of the decision to hire him that he would agree to Watson startingThey can’t read the roomThey don’t believe they should read the roomWatson has been great in the meeting roomSanders deferred to Watson to start the season2 road games to start the season will either lead to Watson’s benching, or he’ll look good enough that fans might cheer in Week 3NFL stepped in and said, “We want Watson versus Baker in Week 2”They believe Watson is the quarterback who can win games and do not believe Sanders is that close

Again, some tongue in cheek, some humor to get through the process, and some actual reasons the Browns might have made this decision.

Now it is your turn…

Share your ideas about why the Browns picked Watson over Sanders (just don’t forget the community guidelines, please)