The Cleveland Browns have a logjam at the quarterback position.

With controversial quarterback Deshaun Watson receiving medical clearance during the offseason and ultimately being named the starter, the rest of the Browns' quarterback room was left in limbo.

Now, after weeks of speculation on how things would shake out by the middle of the 2026 campaign, head coach Todd Monken has given an update.

On Friday, Oct. 30, just days before the Browns are set to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Week 8 meeting, Monken announced that second-year signal caller Shedeur Sanders would retain the backup spot in the depth chart. Behind him will be Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green; however, he has yet to decide which player will serve as the emergency quarterback on game day.

The Questions Leading Up To Monken's Announcement

While Watson's spot seemed to always be locked down, especially considering the fact that he has the Browns sitting 5-2 and third in the AFC, where things shook out after him in the depth chart was a big talking point.

Gabriel, who was placed on the injured list before the regular season began, had previously been part of the competition for the backup role. However, when he was ruled out for the first few weeks due to a back injury, Sanders slid seamlessly into that spot.

But with Gabriel being cleared, the conversation began again on whether he would be able to be No. 2 in the depth chart.

Monken keeping Sanders in that spot, though, shows loyalty to the former Colorado Buffalo, who has reportedly been working hard in practice to keep himself sharp. Although he has not been handed the starting responsibilities, holding onto the backup spot is an important step in his development and path to seeing the field.

The Room at Large

The Browns haven't completely ironed out the quarterback room, though, as Green and Gabriel do not know their roles just yet.

Green represents another developmental option for Cleveland, being selected in the later rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft. Gabriel, on the other hand, was taken with Sanders back in 2025. While he got a chance to be the Browns' starter last season, he didn't fare too well on the field, ultimately leading to him being benched.

All offseason, neither Green nor Gabriel was realistically considered to be the franchise's next starting quarterback.

Ultimately, the Browns have a deep quarterback room, and establishing roles for both Watson and Sanders for the rest of the season gives everyone involved some sort of stability and understanding of where they sit.

For now, Watson is the starter, Sanders is the backup and Gabriel and Green will likely bounce between third and fourth in the depth chart.

This weekend, the Browns will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers from Acrisure Stadium at 1:00 p.m. EST