Cleveland Browns Continue with Deshaun Watson, Decision Hinges on Upcoming Games

The Cleveland Browns have decided to stick with Deshaun Watson as their starting quarterback, despite discussions among fans and media suggesting otherwise after a season-opening loss. Head coach Todd Monken confirmed Watson’s role, stating, “I anticipate that Deshaun will be our starter,” on Monday.

Monken has reasons for his decision to keep Watson in the lineup for Sunday’s match against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The coach’s patience with Watson comes with an expiration date, specifically, the Week 3 game against the Carolina Panthers.

The team’s status quo might change if Watson’s performance doesn’t improve in the short term.

After watching tapes of a 34-10 defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Monken observed enough potential in Watson to keep him in the starting role, especially after a long hiatus from playing. He highlighted that Watson has only had two weeks as the primary quarterback, as training camp featured a competition with Shedeur Sanders for practice repetitions.

Monken remarked on some promising aspects of Watson’s gameplay. “There were some really good things on film,” he mentioned, noting areas of improvement. “When he had time and understood the concepts, he wasn’t tentative. He let it rip.” Despite imperfect performance, Monken sees opportunity for growth.

Watson’s recent performance included completing 16 of 22 passes, covering 205 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. While satisfactory for some, his role isn’t guaranteed indefinitely. Improvement in the upcoming game is crucial, as ownership and NFL sources are mindful of circumstances affecting his position.

The Browns face a Tampa team with quarterback Baker Mayfield, the Browns’ first-round draft pick in 2018, traded in 2022 after the acquisition of Watson. Mayfield’s subsequent success with the Buccaneers contrasts with Watson’s experience in Cleveland. An exceptional performance by Mayfield against the Browns could pressure Cleveland to reconsider their decision involving Watson.

Another factor affecting Watson’s tenure is the venue of the upcoming games. With the Browns opening their season on the road and Watson facing criticism from the fanbase, a return to the home stadium amid boos could reflect poorly on the team. Fans expressed displeasure in the preseason, and Watson’s criticism of their reactions might exacerbate tensions in upcoming games.

There is a collective need for improvement. “We got to play better around him. We got to call it better,” Monken noted. Both the team’s support and Watson’s performance are under scrutiny to foster positive outcomes.