Todd Monken has a big decision to make.2026 will be his first season as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, taking over from Kevin Stefanski, who was fired at the conclusion of the NFL regular season.Todd Monken was poached from the Baltimore Ravens to be the Browns’ next head coachGettyHis biggest and most important decision will be who to start under center, and he has three options to choose from.Many within the industry believe that the race will come down to Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson, with Dillon Gabriel quickly becoming more of an afterthought.Monken must choose between a fifth-round pick who has seven starts in his career, or a 30-year-old who has appeared in just 19 games in the last five years.The Browns have said that the job will be an open competition, but, for ESPN analyst Kevin Clark, the decision is a no-brainer.“I would not bring anybody else into that room,” Clark said on ESPN’s Get Up.“I would not include Deshaun Watson in this quarterback competition. I think it’s a waste of time as far as what the Browns are trying to build.“I also think it’s chasing after justifying that decision and trying to make it look better than it actually was – it was the worst trade in NFL history.“For Shedeur, I think it should be a camp competition Dillon Gabriel vs. Shedeur and I think Shedeur wins that 100 times out of 100. “He has a higher ceiling, he showed better film, he showed better film last year. I just feel like, maybe he is not your franchise guy for the next 10 years but in 2026, let’s see what he can do.”Sanders showed glimpses of potential after stepping in for the final seven games of the season for Gabriel, who was out with a concussion.Kevin Clark has said including Watson in the Browns quarterback battle is ‘a waste of time’GettyClark believes the competition should be between Sanders and GabrielGettyThe rookie threw for 1,400 yards and seven-touchdowns, controversially making the Pro Bowl after player withdrawals.It would make sense for the Browns to give the job to Shedeur, but they do have other motivation for allowing Watson the chance to win the role out of camp.As Clark mentioned, the infamous trade with the Houston Texans which brought the quarterback to Cleveland, alongside the fully guaranteed $230 million contract.The Browns front office has since restructured his contract to create cap space, but Watson the trade has been nothing short of a disaster.And they’ll be counting the cost in terms of draft capital and salary even if Watson were to move on.The 30-year-old has not played a single down in the NFL since Week 7 of the 2024 season, when he tore his Achilles in a 21-14 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals.Watson will have a chance, Monken has said it will be an open competitionGettyNow that he is reportedly healthy, the Browns may want to squeeze something out of Watson in his final year with the team.In the end, Monken must decide whether to chase the past with Watson, or bet on what Sanders might become.It’s a choice that will echo long after camp breaks.Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more.