Monken won't divide QB reps evenly in offseason

PHOENIX — Todd Monken hinted during the AFC coaches breakfast Tuesday that Shedeur Sanders could get the first crack at starting quarterback reps during the offseason program, and revealed when he hopes to identify his QB1. He also vowed to run a fair and open competition regardless of who starts in the pole position when the offseason program begins. Monken also discussed how he'll divide the quarterback reps among Sanders, Deshaun Watson and Dillon Gabriel. "I don't anticipate them being divided evenly," Monken told a small group of reporters covering the meetings. Even at the very beginning? "I don't see it that way," he said. "I wouldn't say they're going to be evenly dispersed, but we'll definitely disperse them to give ourselves a chance to at least evaluate who we have on the roster, whoever that might be as we go through the offseason." How will he decide who gets the first shot at the job in the offseason program, which includes a voluntary minicamp during draft week in April, and organized team activities in May? "By basically what we've seen in the past and where the year ended last year," he said. Considering that he hasn't "looked at much film from the past of Deshaun" and that Sanders started the final seven games last season, does that mean Sanders will get the bulk of the reps at the outset? "I'm not ready to say that yet," he said. "I just said the reps can't be divided up evenly. There's no chance. At least on a daily basis." What is the thinking behind not dividing the reps up evenly if it's an open competition? "There's always competition, irrespective of the number of reps a player gets," he said. "The number of reps a player gets doesn't eliminate competition. It's just in a given day, let's say for instance, you want to see a quarterback with the first group, the second group, the third group." Conceivably, Sanders could get QB1 reps one day, and Watson the next. "Could certainly be that way," he said. "It's not written in stone." Monken stressed that all three quarterbacks — or whoever else the Browns add to the room — will get a fair opportunity to win the job. He revealed when he hopes to know which quarterback will be first on the depth chart. "Well, you'd love to be able to come out of the spring with a depth chart," he said. "That doesn't mean there's still not competition. But I do think you have to narrow the reps or at least balance up the reps of who you anticipate has come out of the spring, certainly in a position to be a starter."