Browns' head coach Todd Monken praised Shedeur Sanders, stating that the Colorado offense wasn't ready for the NFL. Sanders, who faced challenges in his rookie season, has now positioned himself as a viable QB option for the Browns.
Key points
Todd Monken is the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns.
Shedeur Sanders had a rough start but ended his rookie season strong.
Sanders made it to the Pro Bowl despite early challenges.
Cleveland is unlikely to draft a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Cleveland Browns introduced Todd Monken as their new head coach just shy of three months ago. Since then, good news has come for Shedeur Sanders and his future.
The very atypical rookie season ended with a trip to the Pro Bowl, but it got off to a rough start. An unprecedented draft slide, no early reps with the starters, practice reps to equipment staff and a fan base questioning depth charts and reps on a daily basis. All of that was before September. Sanders would eventually start and held the starting position through the end of the season.
Despite fan narratives, Sanders progressed in exactly the way he needed to in order to be in the position he's in now. He was never going to play early. The goal was to finish the season QB1 and force a conversation. Sanders seems to have won as no credible source expects Cleveland to draft a quarterback in the first 40 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Todd Monken appears to be a Shedeur Sanders fan
The most viral thing to come out of Berea since Monken's hiring is Shedeur related. Whether it's the first meeting at the Browns' facility where Monken famously said, "You know we tried to draft your a-- last year", or the horse head statue birthday gift, or even more recently, that the quarterback reps won't be split evenly and how last year played out will have something to do with that. Here's a hint: Deshaun Watson did not play last year.
Monken attempted to coach Sanders twice before. He recruited while at Georgia before Shedeur opted to play under his father, Deion Sanders, at Jackson State. Monken was also involved with the Baltimore Ravens, attempting to draft Shedeur before the 144th pick.
Q&A
What did Todd Monken say about Shedeur Sanders?
Todd Monken expressed that Shedeur Sanders deserves a pass, indicating the Colorado offense wasn't prepared for the NFL.
How did Shedeur Sanders perform in his rookie season?
Shedeur Sanders had a challenging rookie season but ultimately made it to the Pro Bowl, finishing strong as the starting quarterback.
Will the Cleveland Browns draft a quarterback in 2026?
No credible sources expect the Cleveland Browns to draft a quarterback in the first 40 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft.
What challenges did Shedeur Sanders face during his rookie year?
Sanders faced an unprecedented draft slide, lack of early reps with starters, and scrutiny from fans regarding depth charts.
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All of this comes after a season that painted former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski as the villain, and the only reason Shedeur didn't start. Narratives about the coach that are almost never made about any coach became a mainstay. Every possible explanation was discarded in favor of conspiracy theories and reality TV narratives.
From the draft slide to the lack of starting reps to not starting an NFL game until the back half of the season, every explanation given was not based on "football reasons." Most believing any reason was from a place of personal disdain for the Sanders family or some larger scale conspiracy executed by the NFL.
The Colorado system was a factor for Shedeur Sanders
For almost any analyst covering Colorado Buffaloes football, Monken's recent comments are not shocking. There is a difference between what is seen and what is possible. Just because Shedeur threw it all over the yard does not mean what he was doing fit what NFL teams were looking for.
This week, Monken sat down with ESPN's Kevin Clark prior to the NFL Draft. He addressed Shedeur saying very complimentary things. However, one of those things was an admission that Monken is not punishing Sanders for the system he ran in college.
Following the 2023 season, almost everyone believed Deion Sanders needed to win games. He also played the dual role of protecting and advancing his son into an NFL prospect.
The Colorado offensive system was created and tweaked to maximize Shedeur's ability. The scheme also minimized anything that could be perceived as a negative in his game. You can count on one hand the number of times Colorado threw to tight ends as weapons. But Cleveland relied on tight ends last year.
Shedeur Sanders needs to break the habit next year
Sanders rarely threw the ball away because of the incompletion count. Not calling it stat padding, but 94 sacks in two years at Colorado while having a top-10 competition percentage speaks volumes. Also, having a tremendous Heisman Trophy-winning playmaker who can fight for the ball like Travis Hunter did was clutch.
This comment by Monken is very interesting. For a team under Deion Sanders that often boasts years of NFL experience on the coaching staff, this is a miss. Yes, Deion Sanders, Warren Sapp, Marshall Faulk, and most of the coaches who were on Prime's staff have NFL playing experience. However, much of what they did schematically is not a purely "pro-style system". Some of it is, but there was enough that was left out or never run to suggest the transition from college to pro might not be seamless.
Sanders fans wanted instant gratification after the draft slide they did not see coming. Some even said, "The apology needs to be as loud as the disrespect." Even though that's never been true in pro or college sports. Stefanski seemed resistant to Sanders for most of 2025, but he is now in Atlanta with the Falcons. The question fans need to ask now is, can Todd Monken teach the aspects Shedeur was not asked to do in Boulder?
If so, Sanders' NFL career will be vast, even as a journeyman and not necessarily in Cleveland. If not, buckle up for what's about to be a wild ride.
