Shedeur Sanders’ new head coach likes what he’s seen from the quarterback heading into his second NFL season with the Cleveland Browns.

Todd Monken has been peppered with questions about his quarterbacks depth chart since taking the Browns’ head coaching job, which Kevin Stefanski used to have with the franchise.

Sanders, whom the Browns took in the fifth round of last year’s NFL Draft, is usually in those questions, as media and fans alike are curious what’s in store for him after closing out the 2025 campaign as the team’s starting quarterback. However, a new coach means new thinking about every position.

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Monken, though, spoke to Sanders’ development on Wednesday, where he said he’s seeing a player who has already “come a long way.”

“I think Shedeur’s come miles, in terms of his progressions, getting the ball out, his understanding of concepts. I think he’s really, really come a long way,” Monken told reporters, via ESPN.

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After the Browns went with Joe Flacco to start the season, then Dillon Gabriel when Flacco was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals, Sanders finally got a shot against the Las Vegas Raiders. He won his first-ever start in the NFL, and Stefanski named him starter the remainder of the season.

But Sanders and Deshaun Watson, who’s back from injury heading into 2026, have continued to take split first-team reps during team drills at the Browns’ second OTA practice.

Watson, whose tenure in Cleveland has been the exact opposite of what the team had hoped for when they traded for and signed him to a massive contract in 2022. It was a fully guaranteed $230 million over five years, but he tore his Achilles in October 2024 and didn’t play at all in 2025.

Still, back on the gridiron, Monken said that “Deshaun’s athleticism shows up.”

“Obviously he’s had that, but he’s had injuries that have set him back. I wouldn’t say it’s a surprise, but it’s exciting to see – it’s a weapon for him. It’s one of his superpowers, his athleticism.”

The Browns still have Gabriel, as well as rookie Taylen Green, on their depth chart ahead of the season. But it’s clear the competition starts with Watson and Sanders with training camp set for July.

Monken won’t be rushing to any conclusion at the position, but he does wish to name a starter by the beginning of training camp.

“You’d love to have it at every position at the end of spring, but you can’t guarantee that,” Monken said.

Until then, Sanders and the rest of the Browns’ roster will look to impress their new coach.  

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After weeks of backlash from local residents and environmental advocates, Mexican officials announced they will reject Royal Caribbean’s proposal to build a massive water park along the country’s Caribbean coastline.

Critics of the cruise line’s project argued the development threatened the region’s fragile ecosystem and the character of the small coastal community of Mahahual.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, May 19, Alicia Bárcena, Mexico’s secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), responded to questions about the development.

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“I’d like to inform you that Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day project will not be approved,” the official said. 

“The company is also looking to withdraw the project, but we at SEMARNAT will not approve it.”

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum echoed those concerns during a press conference Monday morning.

“We must not do anything that affects that area, which has a very important ecological balance, and is particularly important for the reefs,” she said, as Reuters reported.

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A Royal Caribbean spokesperson told Fox News Digital the cruise operator is “disappointed,” but “respects the role of Mexico’s environmental authorities.”

The spokesperson added, “Mahahual is a special place that deserves care and protection. We continue to believe in Mexico, and are optimistic [about] the potential to advance our investment responsibly.” 

The spokesperson said the company plans to “re-engage stakeholders” as it works to develop “essential environmental infrastructure, the creation of thousands of local jobs, and community programs that support the people of Mexico.”

Royal Caribbean first unveiled Perfect Day Mexico in October 2024 as part of its expanding portfolio of cruise destinations. It was originally scheduled to open in 2027.

The proposed site in Mahahual, Quintana Roo, was expected to feature “an all-new thrilling water park; jaw-dropping pools and beaches, restaurants, bars and more,” according to a company press release. 

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The cruise line promoted the development as a “sustainable destination.”

The decision follows mounting criticism from environmental advocates and residents about the project’s potential ramifications. A Change.org petition demanding the “immediate cancellation” of the development drew more than 4.8 million signatures.

“Mahahual is not an amusement park. It is a fishing town inhabited by local communities who live facing the sea,” the petition states.

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“This project directly threatens [our] rights to access and use the sea, the beaches, and the mangroves, our local identity, our way of life, our freedom to live here,” the petition says.

The petition goes on to describe Mahahual as “one of the last free strongholds of the Mexican Caribbean, while Playa del Carmen and Tulum have already succumbed to the logic of profit.”

Royal Caribbean fans had mixed reactions on Reddit forums.

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One person applauded the decision, saying, “Good for Mexico.”

Another said, “I can see the concerns here, but no doubt some folks will be disappointed.”

CocoCay, located in the Bahamas, is a predecessor of the proposed project in Mexico. 

CocoCay has been a huge success for the company, drawing over 2 million visitors annually, according to Cruise Industry News.

Mahahual is known for its close access to the Mesoamerican Reef — the world’s second-largest barrier reef system, according to Reuters.

The coastal town has increasingly attracted scuba divers and tourists looking to experience marine ecosystems, coral formations, tropical fish and other sea life.