RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The Cleveland Browns have a quarterback plan.
Head coach Todd Monken announced that Deshaun Watson will start the team's first preseason contest, which is slated for Aug. 15 against the Chicago Bears . Shedeur Sanders , the other contender in the ongoing quarterback competition, will start the following week against the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 22.
The starter will play the first half in each game, Monken told reporters. The other quarterback will then start the third quarterback.
Monken met with the media earlier on Aug. 12 , when he noted that someone would have to start the game.
"I mean we're going to see both of them. I mean one's going to start this week," Monken said. "And one's going to start next week, right? And we're going to play about. ... I'd like to see a quarterback play a half and get a two-minute. We're going to do everything we can to try and get a two-minute. Right. Simulate that for the half. And we're going to try to do the exact same thing the next week."
In other words, this doesn't appear to be a sign that Watson is winning the competition or that Sanders is losing it. The duo has been alternating reps with the first-team in practice throughout training camp.
Now, for the first time, the competition will also include some live game reps in the preseason.
It's a decision that is "close," as Monken told USA TODAY Sports' Jarrett Bell in an exclusive interview .
“It’s close,” Monken told USA TODAY Sports before a recent camp practice. “People somehow think that, like, I have some hidden agenda, or like there’s some preconceived notion.
“Is that what they think I would do? I would just split the reps if I didn’t think it was a competition? That would be really silly. If I thought one was the starter, I’d give him the ‘one’ reps.”
Luckily for Monken, there is still plenty of time before the regular season kicks off in Jacksonville against the Jaguars on Sept. 13.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Browns name Watson starter for preseason opener, Sanders to start Week 2
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