New Head Coach Todd Monken has not determined if Shedeur Sanders or someone else will start for the Cleveland Browns in Week 1.
Once again, the Browns will have an open competition at quarterback, featuring Sanders, Deshaun Watson, Dillon Gabriel, and perhaps a rookie taken in this year's draft. Monken would like to name a starter by the beginning of training camp, but he's not imposing a deadline.
"I think it's an open competition," Monken said at the Combine. "I don't know why it wouldn't be an open competition. I'm not saying that harshly. But I don't think there's enough over the last couple years to say we have a starting quarterback yet, whether internally or externally."
Sanders started the final seven games of the 2025 season and Monken sees room for growth.
"Sure, he can," Monken said. "I think what you see is elite playmaker ability. That's in him. You've seen [it], we've seen it, you saw it in college, we saw it on tape last year. There's a ways to go, but what rookie isn't? I'm excited to get started with him and all our starting quarterbacks."
Watson didn't play in 2025 as he rehabbed the Achilles injury he suffered in October 2024. He has played just 19 games since the Browns traded three first-round picks and gave him a reported fully guaranteed $230 million contract in March 2022.
However, Watson led the NFL in passing yards (4,823) in 2020 playing for the Houston Texans, and Monken wants to see if that form can be rekindled.
"You have a player that at one time exhibited a skillset at an elite level," Monken said. "I think you always give them the benefit of the doubt that somehow we might be able to get that out of them again.
"I'm going to let it play out. I don't decide who plays. The players decide who plays."
Cincinnati Bengals: Decision Looms on Trey Hendrickson as Tag Deadline Nears
Many expect veteran edge rusher Trey Hendrickson to leave Cincinnati this offseason, but his future remains uncertain.
To trade Hendrickson, the Bengals must apply the franchise tag by March 3, or he will become a free agent. The tag would come with a salary of $30.2 million for the 2026 season, and Cincinnati may decide to let Hendrickson go unless it can find a trade partner.
"All trades are difficult," Bengals Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin said via Ben Baby of ESPN.com. "You got to find a partner… You have to have some cooperation with your players that you're talking about this with. Trades can be complicated, and that hypothetical scenario would be very complicated."
The 31-year-old Hendrickson is a four-time Pro Bowler who produced a career-high 17.5 sacks in both 2023 and 2024. A core muscle injury limited Hendrickson to seven games and just four sacks in 2025, but Tobin refused to close the door on Hendrickson's possible return.
"I don't throw anything on or off the table with Trey, and we're excited about attacking this offseason," Tobin said. "Trey's been a great player for us. He didn't have the year he wanted this year. We didn't have the year we wanted this year. Those are factors, and we'll see where we go from there."
Pittsburgh Steelers: Aaron Rodgers' Decision on Future Shouldn't Drag On
While there's no guarantee quarterback Aaron Rodgers will play in the 2026 season, the Steelers would like to have him back.
"The door's open to have Aaron back," General Manager Omar Khan said Tuesday. "I've had conversations with him — I spoke to him last week. [Head Coach] Mike McCarthy's spoken to him. He knows how we feel about him."
Rodgers turned 42 years old in December and could retire, and the Steelers are giving him space to decide if he wants to play. Last season, Rodgers didn't sign with Pittsburgh until June 6, but Khan expects Rodgers to make up his mind sooner this time around.
"I think the circumstances are a little different," Khan said. "I think neither side wants to have this drag on like it did last year."
