Todd Monken had a chance to reaffirm Deshaun Watson’s hold on the Cleveland Browns’ starting job Sunday. He stopped short.
After Cleveland’s 34-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Monken declined to commit to Watson moving forward, leaving the door open for a potential change to Shedeur Sanders.
“I’d rather just talk about today, because I haven’t had time to even look at the tape,” Monken said when asked if he would be sticking with Watson.
Monken offered no assurance that he would keep the job heading into Cleveland’s Week 2 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Watson completed 16 of 22 passes for 205 yards with one touchdown and one interception, finishing with a 97.7 passer rating. He took five sacks and added 38 rushing yards on six carries.
The final numbers softened the appearance of a difficult afternoon. Cleveland fell behind 31-0, and Watson’s only touchdown came on a 46-yard pass to rookie Denzel Boston after the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter, long after Jacksonville had taken control.
Sanders remained on the sideline through the loss. Whether he stays there next week is now a question Monken has left unanswered.
Deshaun Watson’s Numbers Mask Browns’ Offensive Problems
Watson completed 72.7% of his passes and averaged 9.3 yards per attempt. On a stat sheet, that looks like an efficient afternoon. It did little to ease concerns about an offense that struggled to keep Cleveland competitive. His late touchdown to Boston accounted for nearly a quarter of his passing yardage.
Watson also received little help from the running game. Quinshon Judkins managed 33 yards on 12 carries, averaging 2.8 yards per attempt. Cleveland finished with 87 rushing yards, with Watson supplying 38 of them.
But in the pocket, Watson appeared uncomfortable, often taking deep drops. He also fumbled after being sacked in the first half and nearly lost another before it was overturned by replay.
Monken has problems to address beyond the quarterback position. But Watson’s ability to turn possessions into points will remain central to any improvement.
Shedeur Sanders Remains Behind Deshaun Watson
Monken chose Watson after a training camp competition with Sanders. When announcing the decision, he indicated that he did not intend to revisit the job on a weekly basis. Monken said he chose Watson based on his ability to run the offense. But the Browns had some significant issues with the operation, resulting in multiple penalties and burnt timeouts.
Watson entered the season having made just 19 starts for Cleveland since arriving in 2022, going 9-10 while playing on a fully guaranteed $230 million contract. He missed the entire 2025 season following Achilles injuries. Watson is getting a fresh opportunity under Monken, but fans have already spent years waiting for the investment to produce consistent results.
Sanders gives the Browns an alternative with starting experience. As a rookie, he completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Cleveland also has rookie Taylen Green, while Dillon Gabriel is on injured reserve with a back injury and must miss at least the first four games.
The Browns travel to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2 before returning home against the Carolina Panthers. Watson will head into that second road game needing to give Monken more than a late touchdown to build on.
Browns Leave Door Open to Bench Deshaun Watson