Cleveland Browns News and Rumors 11/10/26: We Haven’t Circled Back

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CLEVELAND, Ohio (TheOBR.com) - Good morning, Cleveland Browns fans!

THE DAILY BLOVIATION

Yesterday, I said that wasn’t heavily invested in who the Browns start at quarterback. I don’t see a significant difference in performance between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders. I’ve seen their mutual inconsistency both between games and even within games before.

Then again, I’m not a quarterback whisperer like Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken is supposed to be.

Monken, an offensive mind with decades of experience watching quarterbacks, observed Shedeur Sanders’ performance against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday and was so impressed that when asked about Sanders’ future as starting quarterback Monday, he…. Explained the logistics of coaching meetings.

The head coach’s take on the quarterback situation is in a chrysalis, awaiting the day when it emerges. “I really haven’t thought through it other than getting through this morning’s tape,” Monken explained. “We just got done meeting with the guys. They’ll flush the game and then we’ll have a chance to meet offensively more extensive a little bit later today. We haven’t had a chance to circle back as an offensive staff.” He doesn’t expect a decision by Tuesday’s game-plan day, either. “Do I think it’ll be then? No.”

And all that’s fine. All this talk about reps can wait until Wednesday morning. I still suspect it will be Watson, but that’s just a hunch based on past behavior.

Besides, other than avoiding quickly-forgotten headlines, there might be good reasons to be evasive with the media.

The Texans drafted Watson, and they’d surely rather know which of two very different quarterbacks they’re preparing for. Make them prepare for both. It won’t make much of a difference, but it’s a typical approach in this age of top-secret practices.
The trade deadline is 4 p.m. today, and Tony Grossi says “D-day is here” for a four-quarterback room. I’m not expecting big news, but, again, who knows? Announcing a starter on Monday doesn’t help you if you’re taking calls on Tuesday.
And there’s the kid. Sanders just threw for 297 yards and pulled the team back from the dead twice. Monken said he was “thrilled” and that the game gives him “more and more confidence that what I saw in the fall, there’s something to build on.” Benching him at a Monday presser, 24 hours later, is a lousy way to treat a young quarterback who did what you asked. Letting the decision show up on the practice field Wednesday is kinder. Players notice that kind of thing.

The reason I’d worry about is the one where Monken really doesn’t know. I doubt that’s it.

YOU ARE WHAT YOUR TAPE SAYS: That’s Monken’s line on the penalties, per The Athletic, where the Browns have complied 97 accepted penalties in nine games. The Browns lead the league with 97 penalties, and 41 of them are pre-snap. Monken owned it: “It starts with me as the head coach... it’s not sustainable.” Zion Johnson says going verbal at home should help. Monken also noted only two other teams in NFL history have played six of their first nine on the road. “Do I think it will harden us? I do.” I’d settle for less penalized.

The tape is where things start at quarterback as well. Watson has five fourth-quarter winning drives, a 91.2 passer rating and a league-high 33 sacks. Sanders had 38 passing yards at halftime and 197 in the fourth quarter and overtime. The Athletic’s point is that the full tape says the offense has been inconsistent no matter who’s under center. Our guys are even harsher. Pete Smith on Sanders: “Down to down, it’s not good. It’s the same issues he showed last year and all summer. It was clear why Watson is the starter, which isn’t saying much. But neither one is good.” Lane: “The chunk plays get everyone excited, but it’s the play to play execution that generally makes or breaks a team.”

So the choice is between two quarterbacks who are each pretty good for 15 minutes a week. No wonder the man wants to circle back.

DEADLINE DAY: It’s 4 p.m. today. The Browns are still trying, but nothing’s brewing. They’d have taken “premium” picks for Jerry Jeudy, and nobody offered. Lane reports the Rams, with Davante Adams and Puka Nacua hurt, called about Jeudy on Monday. Tight end and edge are still the wants, and the Jets’ Will McDonald IV just asked out. Zac Jackson likes him as a fit because he’s under contract through 2027. Also from Monday: Maliek Collins sat out Sunday with an illness, not the elbow.

Keep an eye on the OBR all day today. Not because I think there will be a trade, but simply because it’s a good idea. All Browns fans should spend hours staring at our pages. It’s good for everyone concerned.

Have a good one! GO BROWNS!

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THE LIFT

Positive news from the world of sports and beyond...

How do you know if a faraway planet has life on it? One way is to figure out what it would look like if it didn’t. Planetary scientist Samantha Gilbert-Janizek built a model that simulates Earth as if life had never shown up, running it from the planet’s birth 4.5 billion years ago to 500 million years into the future. The result was a lifeless world that still had oceans and an atmosphere. Astronomers can plug a distant planet’s numbers into the model, and if the real atmosphere doesn’t match the lifeless one, something might be down there changing it. “The model can help us see how habitable but non-living planets might mimic living planets,” she said. Sounds like a useful tool for evaluating a first-quarter offense, too.

WRAPPING UP

When not waiting for the offensive staff to circle back, Barry McBride is the Publisher and Founder of the OBR and bloviates this nonsense every morning. You can follow him on Twitter @barrymcbride or write him at barry@theobr.com if you are so compelled.