Another rough outing from Deshaun Watson might not be enough to get Shedeur Sanders off the Cleveland Browns’ bench.
Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot addressed the quarterback situation during a Saturday appearance on 92.3 The Fan, indicating that continued struggles could eventually prompt a change. But Watson still has room to work through his issues.
“He’s going to have to step up and play better. If Deshaun continues to struggle, I think they really will look at it,” Cabot said. “But, this is not a short leash. One bad game is not going to get him (replaced).”
The Browns enter the Week 6 divisional matchup against the Baltimore Ravens at 3-2 after a 17-12 loss to the New York Jets snapped their three-game winning streak. Cleveland managed a season-low 198 yards in the defeat, putting its offensive problems back in focus.
Deshaun Watson Still Searching for Consistency
Watson has delivered enough late-game plays to help keep Cleveland competitive. Sustaining that production throughout a game has been another matter.
Against the Jets, Watson completed 15 of 33 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown. He added 40 rushing yards, but Cleveland finished with just one offensive touchdown on a rain-soaked afternoon.
His 29-yard scoring pass to rookie Denzel Boston briefly gave the Browns a fourth-quarter lead. A botched punt later handed New York a short field, and Cleveland could not produce another comeback after falling behind.
Watson has also had more than a handful of turnover-worthy plays that, fortunately, didn’t hurt the Browns.
However, the problems extended beyond Watson. The Jets sacked him eight times, Cleveland struggled to establish its running game, and dropped passes further complicated the offense’s chances. Head coach Todd Monken acknowledged that the Browns’ previous victories had covered up some uneven football.
“We haven’t played a clean game yet. We just found a way in the other three games to get it done in the fourth quarter,” Monken said.
Shedeur Sanders Waits as Browns Face Another QB Decision
Sanders has had little opportunity to make his own case during the regular season, attempting just one pass through Cleveland’s first five games.
He received a longer look as a rookie, going 3-4 in seven starts. Sanders completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions, showing flashes while leaving plenty to improve.
Sanders also made a move off the field this week, hiring Adie von Gontard of Young Money APAA Sports after beginning his NFL career without an agent. The decision added another development to an already closely watched quarterback situation.
Meanwhile, Cleveland has another decision approaching with Dillon Gabriel. The second-year quarterback remains in his return-to-practice window following a back injury and has yet to be activated from injured reserve.
Gabriel practiced fully throughout the week, but the Browns ruled him out against Baltimore.
Shedeur Sanders Gets Bad News Ahead of Week 6