“Monken doesn't make any decisions”: Ochocinco explains why Browns' owners have final say in QB1 battle

The closer the Cleveland Browns get to naming their starting quarterback, the more the debate is shifting away from practice reps and toward the people making the final decision.

Deshaun Watson has built momentum with a strong preseason showing, while Shedeur Sanders continues to make his case for the job.

Yet former NFL receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson believes first-year head coach Todd Monken may not have the decisive voice when Cleveland finally chooses its Week 1 starter.

“But Todd Monken doesn’t make any calls,” Johnson said on Nightcap. “The final say-so comes from the person who signed the check, regardless of what Todd Monken says.”

He added: “You know who’s going to be under center. And I say it again. I say it time and time again. It’s his job to lose.”

Johnson was referring to Watson , whose fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract remains one of the biggest factors hanging over the competition.

His claim that ownership will make the final call has not been confirmed by the Browns , although general manager Andrew Berry previously indicated that Cleveland’s head coach would have significant input.

Watson gives Monken reasons to believe

The football argument for Watson has also strengthened. Returning from back-to-back Achilles surgeries, he completed 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards against the Chicago Bears , finishing with a 98.2 passer rating.

He didn't throw an interception, although he lost a fumble after being sacked. Monken came away impressed by more than the statistics.

“What I wanted to see was how comfortable he was leading up to the game, how comfortable he was in the huddle,” Monken said.

Asked whether Watson passed those tests, the coach answered simply: “In my mind he did.”

Monken was even more enthusiastic when discussing the significance of seeing Watson back in live action.

“Oh, it was awesome,” Monken added. “It was so cool to watch him play.”

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has also reported that Watson has the “leg up” over Sanders , in part because he's more experienced with Cleveland’s offensive operation.

That advantage is not without concerns. Watson has thrown 12 interceptions across 17 training camp practices, making ball security an obvious issue as the competition reaches its final stage.

Sanders has final opportunity to force issue

Sanders hasn't disappeared from the race. He completed 6 of 11 passes for 79 yards against Chicago , including a 35-yard connection with Luke Floriea , but also threw an interception and finished with a 39.6 passer rating. Monken has nevertheless praised his progress.

“Well, he’s improved so much,” Monken said. “I mean, he really has in terms of climbing the pocket, working through his progressions.”

Sanders is expected to get another significant opportunity against the Buffalo Bills , while Watson will follow later in the game. Monken has also indicated the decision should come early next week.

That leaves the Browns with more than a simple depth-chart choice. They must weigh performance, experience, development and the enormous financial investment already attached to Watson .

Whether Monken truly has the final say remains disputed. What is becoming clearer is that Watson has given Cleveland both football and financial reasons to keep the job in his hands.