Deshaun Watson won the Cleveland Browns’ starting job, but Adam Schefter believes his grip on it already has an expiration date.
Browns head coach Todd Monken named Watson the starter for the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, ending his extended competition with Shedeur Sanders. But Schefter is not convinced Watson will hold the job for long.
During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Schefter raised the possibility that Sanders could take over as soon as Cleveland’s Week 3 home opener.
“You have a situation where it always felt it was trending towards the veteran,” Schefter said. “When they named Deshaun Watson as the starting quarterback, they named him that for now. That’s the key point to raise here.”
Schefter — like many others — is skeptical that Watson will remain in the role for long.
“Is he gonna start more games than Shedeur Sanders this season? I’m skeptical of that. It’s up to him and how he performs in the first two games,” Schefter said. “If he plays well the first two weeks on the road, he’ll continue being the quarterback. If not, I believe there’s a realistic chance that for their home opener, Shedeur Sanders will be the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. That’ll be up to Deshaun and how he plays in the first two games of the season.”
The Browns open against the Jaguars before traveling to face Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If Watson plays well and the Browns win, the quarterback debate will cool. If he struggles and Cleveland starts 0-2, the calls for Sanders will become deafening.
Todd Monken Says Watson Is Not on a Short Leash
Monken stressed that Watson’s promotion was not temporary and pushed back against the idea that he would reevaluate the position after every game.
“We’re not anticipating this being a week-to-week thing,” Monken said. “Again, I think Shedeur has done a great job, come a long ways, and we’re excited about his future, but this is not a week-to-week decision.”
Monken said he evaluated the complete body of work, including the offseason program, training camp, two preseason games and Cleveland’s joint practice with the Buffalo Bills. He ultimately decided Watson gave the Browns their best chance to operate the offense and score points, particularly with the season beginning on the road.
Cleveland’s Week 3 matchup against the Carolina Panthers already looms as a potentially volatile date. It will be Watson’s first regular-season home appearance since tearing his Achilles in October 2024, when some fans cheered as he was taken from the field.
Watson was showered with boos from the home crowd during Saturday’s 31-7 preseason loss to Buffalo. He responded by calling the reaction “personal” and “disrespectful” and wondered aloud how he would handle what could feel like “17 away games.”
If the Browns start 0-2 and Watson is struggling, it would create the worst possible setting for Watson’s home debut. The boos he heard against Buffalo would likely sound tame compared to the reception waiting for him with Sanders on the sideline and the season already slipping.
Deshaun Watson Walks Back Comments About Browns Fans
GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson apologized to the fans.
Watson acknowledged that his emotions got the better of him following the Buffalo game and said his comments were not intended as an attack on the entire fan base.
“I put in a lot of time these last two years to get back, spend time in this facility and city, meeting a lot of people in the community,” Watson said. “I thought I was going to get a different response, but my emotions got the best of me. My comments were not intended to go at any of the fans in the city.
“There have been a lot of great fans who have been supporting me. I know the frustration. This organization put a lot of investment to get me back in 2022.”
Watson said he takes “full responsibility” for his reaction and understands that winning is the only realistic way to change the reception. Sanders, meanwhile, appeared to take the decision in stride. He did not speak to reporters, but Monken said the second-year quarterback handled their meeting like a pro.
“We met this morning for a good long time, and all he had was a smile on his face because he understands what really is in front of him,” Monken said. “This is a player who’s going to work his butt off to get better, and he already has.”
Watson and Sanders will both sit out Thursday’s preseason finale against the New England Patriots. That leaves Dillon Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green to handle the quarterback duties as the Browns finish sorting out the back end of the depth chart.
Adam Schefter Puts Deshaun Watson on Notice After Browns Decision