The Cleveland Browns appear to have found the real deal in second-round wide receiver Denzel Boston, and the NFL at large has begun to take notice.
After Boston scored his second touchdown in as many games, the league announced that he is under consideration for a prestigious rookie award.
“#Browns WR Denzel Boston has been nominated for NFL Rookie of the Week after his Week 2 performance against the Buccaneers,” Camryn Justice of WEWS reported via X on Tuesday, September 22.
Boston hauled in five catches for 95 yards on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, including a 55-yard TD. He has tallied seven receptions for 154 yards and two scores on 11 targets across his first two starts as a pro and has played 93 percent of the team’s offensive snaps.
Denzel Boston Helped Browns QB Deshaun Watson Save His Job Against Buccaneers
For whatever else anyone has to say about starting quarterback Deshaun Watson, it is clear that he has developed a connection with Boston early in the rookie pass-catcher’s career.
Watson and Boston were part of a somewhat surprising road victory against the Buccaneers in Week 2 (23-19), which likely saved Watson from the bench for Cleveland’s home-opener against the Carolina Panthers, next Sunday.
In fact, Watson’s 238 yards and 2 TDs on 80 percent passing (24-of-30) may have bailed him out of what could have been a career-ending decision on the part of head coach Todd Monken and staff had they benched the quarterback.
Cleveland has Shedeur Sanders in the QB2 spot with sixth-round rookie Taylen Green on the bench behind him. At some point, potentially as soon as two games from now, 2025 third-round pick Dillon Gabriel is also going to return from the injured reserve list (IR).
Browns fans have made their disdain for Watson quite clear since the preseason, and with all the youth and limited experience behind him on the depth chart, it is unlikely Watson finds his way back onto the field if he loses the QB1 job at any point this year.
Beyond that, this is the final season on Watson’s $230 million fully guaranteed contract. So while general manager Andrew Berry has said no one should rule out any possibilities for the QB’s future, it is difficult to imagine the team will bring him back on a new deal next year regardless of how 2026 plays out.
And it’s almost impossible to see that outcome if Monken ends up benching Watson.
Browns Host Panthers in Cleveland for Week 3 Matchup
For now, Watson will keep his job and Boston will continue running routes for him on almost every offensive down the Browns play.
Cleveland is just a 2.5-point underdog at home against the Panthers, per DraftKings Sportsbook, who also come in at 1-1 after a win over an NFC South Division opponent.
Carolina rolled over the Atlanta Falcons by a score of 34-3 in Week 2.
NFL Makes Big Announcement on Browns WR Denzel Boston