Frustration with Deshaun Watson is already building inside the Cleveland Browns’ locker room, according to a new report.
An unnamed NFL general manager offered a harsh assessment of Watson’s commitment in Jason La Canfora’s September 16 report for Casino.org, suggesting the quarterback is testing how long Cleveland will keep him on the field.
“Watson will keep playing like (expletive) to see how fast they’ll pull him. He’s calling their bluff,” the GM told La Canfora.
La Canfora also described growing frustration among players with the situation surrounding Cleveland’s starting quarterback.
“Numerous league sources have indicated to me that the locker room is already over this stunt, players on that roster are over the constant drama, and there is no leadership coming from Watson at all at this point,” La Canfora wrote.
Watson is in the final year of his fully guaranteed $230 million contract. While he may be trying to prove a point, per La Canfora, his NFL future very much hangs in the balance.
Deshaun Watson Struggles in Browns Season Opener
Watson gave the Browns little reason for confidence during their 34-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Making his first regular-season appearance since 2024, Watson completed 16 of 22 passes for 205 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Those numbers looked considerably better than the offense did while the game was competitive. Cleveland fell behind 31-0 early in the third quarter.
Watson threw an interception on Cleveland’s opening possession, ending a drive that had inched into field-goal range. The Browns finished the first half with just 95 net yards and five first downs.
His lone touchdown came on a 46-yard connection with rookie Denzel Boston with 1:52 remaining. By then, Jacksonville had long since taken control.
While Watson was bad, the problems extended across the roster. Cleveland committed 11 penalties for 75 yards, and the defense struggled to slow Trevor Lawrence. A quarterback change alone would not fix everything that went wrong in Jacksonville.
Todd Monken Sticks With Watson as Shedeur Sanders Waits
Monken has continued to support Watson heading into Sunday’s road matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After reviewing the opener, Monken pointed to encouraging plays and noted Watson had received all the first-team practice reps for only two weeks. He also put responsibility on the coaching staff and the players around the quarterback.
That support gives Watson another opportunity to settle the offense. It also puts the burden on Monken to get a much cleaner performance from a unit that struggled with even the basics against Jacksonville.
La Canfora’s league sources anticipate a shorter runway. He reported that executives around the NFL believe Watson could be benched by Cleveland’s Week 3 home opener, with Shedeur Sanders taking over.
With a home opener against the Carolina Panthers next on the schedule, Watson has a chance in Tampa Bay to quiet the calls for a change before Cleveland returns to play in front of its own fans.
Browns Hit With Troubling Deshaun Watson Locker Room Report