The Cleveland Browns have plenty of reasons to question Deshaun Watson after their season opener, but turning to Shedeur Sanders could leave their biggest problems unresolved.
That’s the caution from Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot as the Browns weigh their quarterback situation ahead of a road matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Watson struggled in Cleveland’s 34-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the breakdowns extended well beyond the quarterback.
The offensive line struggled, the running game failed to provide enough help and the defense offered little resistance. Putting Sanders behind center would still leave Cleveland with an offense struggling to handle the basics.
“The problem with starting Sanders next week in Tampa is that he might not fare any better with an offense that has a long way to go,” Cabot wrote. “If Watson had to battle through pre-snap penalties and operational dysfunction, it could be the same or worse for Sanders, who already wasn’t as efficient as the coaches wanted him to be getting in and out of the huddle, sliding the protections and running the show at the line.”
Cabot favored giving Watson another opportunity, with the home opener looming as a potential turning point.
“I’d give him another start in Tampa with a chance to redeem himself in the Mayfield Revenge Bowl,” Cabot wrote. “If it goes poorly again, Monken will have to seriously consider turning to Sanders for the home opener Sept. 27 against the Panthers.”
Todd Monken Defends Watson but Leaves Door Open to Change
Browns coach Todd Monken pushed back on making Watson the sole target after the loss, taking responsibility for his own role in an offense that rarely looked comfortable.
“It wasn’t all him,” Monken said postgame. “It really wasn’t all him. I mean, that’s unfair. Certainly could have called it better. Certainly could have played better around him. Certainly there’s plays I’m sure he wished he had back. There are certain things operationally that weren’t clean enough, us getting in and out of the huddle, getting our subs in, being up against it, and saying that you’re on the road or the heat or all that’s just a bunch of excuses.”
Watson finished 16-of-22 for 205 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Those numbers looked considerably better after a late 46-yard touchdown pass to rookie Denzel Boston, with Jacksonville having already built a hefty lead.
Monken’s defense of Watson did not come with a commitment to keep him in the lineup against Tampa Bay. The first-year Browns coach left the evaluation open.
“First off, we’ll analyze everything that we do,” Monken said. “It’s not just him, OK? We’re putting this on Deshaun, which is unfair. And whatever there is externally doesn’t matter to me. My decision-making is what’s best for the Browns now and moving forward.”
Deshaun Watson Takes Responsibility With His Future at Stake
Watson acknowledged that the responsibility for getting Cleveland into the end zone starts with him.
“I think we just got to find a rhythm overall,” Watson said. “Of course everyone’s going to look at the quarterback in the situation. … We got to put points on the board, and that’s what you got to do in this league. Playing the quarterback position, you’re the leader in that role. And we didn’t do that today. We only got 10. We left a lot out there. So obviously I take that responsibility full throttle, and we got to look at the tape and see how we can be better and try to attack Tampa Bay next week to be able to get points on the board to be able to get wins.”
The stakes extend beyond whether Watson starts another game. He is in the final year of the fully guaranteed $230 million contract Cleveland gave him after trading three first-round picks to acquire him in 2022. His performance has fallen well short of that investment.
A benching this early would raise serious questions about his ability to secure another starting — or even backup — opportunity in Cleveland or elsewhere. The problems around him may help explain the opener, but Watson still needs to show he can elevate an offense.
Browns Warned Against Benching Deshaun Watson