Overview
- The Browns lost 34-10 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1 on Sunday and coach Todd Monken said he still “anticipates” Deshaun Watson will start at Tampa Bay next Sunday.
- Watson finished 16-of-22 for 205 yards with one touchdown, one interception, a lost fumble and he was sacked five times in a game that Cleveland trailed heavily early.
- Monken told reporters the coaches saw “really good things on film” and asked the roster to publicly back the choice, but he also signaled Watson is on a short leash if the offense does not improve.
- The decision to stick with Watson is shaped by his recent long layoff after multiple Achilles injuries and by a fully guaranteed, large contract that limits Cleveland’s roster flexibility.
- Public backlash has been intense, Shedeur Sanders remains the primary on-roster alternative, and an unproven point-shaving claim by LeSean McCoy has circulated without corroboration and has not been substantiated.