Shedeur Sanders dealt major blow as Browns make surprising decision on his future

Shedeur Sanders has been dealt a setback in his push for the Cleveland Browns starting job after head coach Todd Monken indicated Deshaun Watson will remain under centre for Week 2.

Watson struggled badly in Cleveland’s 34-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but Monken has decided against making an immediate change. That could leave Sanders waiting on the sidelines for longer than expected.

The Browns had already entered the season with Watson as their preferred option after Sanders lost the summer quarterback competition. However, the rookie’s chances appeared to improve after Cleveland’s disastrous opening performance.

Watson’s return to regular-season action ended with 205 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception, although much of that production came after Jacksonville had built a 34-3 lead. Through three quarters, Watson had managed just 100 passing yards.

Monken still saw enough positives on film to stick with him.

“We got to play better around him,” Monken said. “We got to call it better, and he’s got to play better. It wasn’t just our inability to function consistently as an offense; it was a byproduct of ‘we’ – coaching and playing.”

The Browns coach also pointed to Watson’s limited time taking first-team reps before the season and said there were “some really good things on film” that could be built upon.

That decision is particularly significant for Sanders, who needs an opportunity to show Cleveland he can be the team’s long-term answer.

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Adam Schefter had raised the possibility of a change after Week 1, saying he was unsure whether Watson would keep the job.

“I don’t know if they’ll stick with him this week,” Schefter said. “They may make a change. We’ll see. That’s something they’re going to go over.”

Schefter even suggested Cleveland could turn to Sanders against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers if Monken changed his mind after reviewing the game.

For now, that opportunity has not arrived.

Watson will get another chance against Tampa Bay, while Sanders remains the Browns’ No. 2 quarterback. With Cleveland facing the possibility of starting 0-2, though, another poor performance could quickly bring the rookie back into the conversation.