Cleveland Browns safety Ronnie Hickman is leaving the quarterback decisions to Todd Monken.
With criticism mounting after Cleveland’s miserable season opener, Hickman offered a brief response when asked about his coach’s decision to stick with Deshaun Watson.
“That’s above my pay grade,” Hickman said.
The Browns gave themselves plenty to answer for in a 34-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, although Watson took the brunt of the criticism. Cleveland’s offense looked disorganized and ineffective, doing little to justify the perceived optimism surrounding the veteran’s return.
Watson finished with 205 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception. His lone touchdown came late with the outcome already decided, making the final numbers look better than the afternoon felt.
Monken has made clear that choosing the starter will remain a coaching matter, regardless of the opinions inside the locker room.
“They don’t have a choice. This isn’t a debate. I don’t ask them to make the play calls. Their job is to play,” Monken said. “I don’t blame anyone for having their opinion, but ultimately it’s up to us to support whoever we put out there.”
Browns Explain Decision to Stick With Deshaun Watson
Monken left room for a potential change immediately after the loss, saying he wanted to review the film before discussing his quarterback plans. By Monday, he expected Watson to keep the job for the Week 2 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“I anticipate Deshaun being our starter,” Monken said.
Watson struggled, but Cleveland’s problems extended beyond its quarterback. Protection, penalties and confusion before the snap all contributed to an offense that struggled to function. The defense did little to keep the Browns within reach, either.
“We got to play better around him and we have to call it better. And he’s got to play better. Our inability to function consistently as an offense was a byproduct of ‘we,’ coaching and playing,” Monken said.
The coach also pointed to Watson’s limited time getting all the first-team work after a quarterback competition that stretched through much of the summer.
“It’s only been two weeks that he’s got all the reps. There are some really good things on the film. Things you can build on,” Monken said. “And there were some others that, operationally, we got to get better at.”
There is also the question of what an immediate reversal would say about the competition. Monken spent months evaluating his quarterbacks before choosing Watson over Sanders. Moving on after one game would invite questions about what the Browns saw during that process, especially after an opener marked by the operational problems Watson was supposed to help prevent.
Sanders remains the alternative if Watson cannot take advantage. Another poor outing in Tampa would put the decision back under scrutiny as Cleveland prepares for its home opener against the Carolina Panthers.
Browns Defense Owns Up to Rough Season Opener
The quarterback debate should not obscure how little resistance Cleveland’s defense offered in Jacksonville. The Jaguars scored on their first four possessions and built a 31-0 lead early in the third quarter. Trevor Lawrence threw for 245 yards and four touchdowns as Cleveland struggled to disrupt his timing or prevent big plays.
“It was just self-inflicted wounds, including myself,” defensive end Jared Verse said. “We weren’t rushing as a unit upfront.”
The Browns surrendered 360 net yards, including 126 rushing yards. Mason Graham recorded their only sack and added two tackles for loss, providing one of the few encouraging performances on an otherwise difficult afternoon.
The Cleveland defense gets another chance to turn things around against the Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield, who are hungry after their own Week 1 loss.
Browns Defender Delivers Blunt 5-Word Deshaun Watson Message