Deshaun Watson’s Return: Insights from Preseason Performance

In NFL humor, there’s a famous scenario involving a bear chase: you don’t need to be faster than the bear, just faster than your friend. This metaphor was fitting for Deshaun Watson’s return to action on Saturday, his first since 2024. Facing the Chicago Bears, Watson showcased his speed, outpacing competitors Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.

Watson’s performance in the preseason game certainly marked a milestone. Despite his merely satisfactory performance, he displayed resilience and competitiveness. The Cleveland Browns faced an amusing parallel with their opposition, the Bears, and Watson managed to stand out on the field.

Definitely a good moment for myself, Watson said, reflecting on the game.

This was a significant moment for Watson, as it was his first time playing since recovering from two Achilles tears in 2024 and early 2025. Leaving the field unharmed was a triumph for the often-injured quarterback.

Although Watson’s performance wasn’t exceptional, he still appeared superior compared to Sanders and Gabriel. These two quarterbacks are also in contention to start for the team.

Browns head coach Todd Monken didn’t shy away from praising Watson. Oh, it was awesome, Monken enthusiastically stated. I mean, it was so cool to watch him play. For him to come back and work like he did is an unbelievable credit to him.

During the game, Watson completed 11 of 15 passes. The Browns managed to score while he was on the field. Although he did not throw a touchdown, he did experience a fumble during play. This fumble was a turning point, with Watson completing 10 of his first 11 passes and then only one of his last four passes after the turnover.

Both Sanders and Gabriel had setbacks in the game. Sanders, who fumbled a snap but recovered it, finished with a 39.6 passer rating. Gabriel’s performance resulted in a 27.1 passer rating.

Monken announced that Sanders will start the next game against the Buffalo Bills, playing the first half, followed by Watson in the third quarter and Gabriel in the fourth. The competition for the Browns’ starting quarterback position is ongoing.