Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is eager to prove to everyone that he can still be a dependable leader.
Veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson has a big opportunity to find redemption with the Cleveland Browns after coach Todd Monken chose him to start over sophomore quarterback Shedeur Sanders, ending their tight competition in training camp.
Watson was sidelined last season due to an Achilles injury. While he has a lot of catching up to do, he did enough in training camp to get the nod from Monken, who is in his first year with the Browns.
Monken’s decision raised a lot of eyebrows, especially since Sanders was on his way up. Watson, on the other hand, has not played significant football since 2020 due to various injuries and off-field issues.
NFL analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick, however, claimed that the 30-year-old Watson is the right guy for the Browns, noting that he is “more ready” than the 24-year-old Sanders.
“He knows how to do an operation in the NFL. He knows how to get the ball out. He knows how to throw on time. He knows how to throw with anticipation. Those are all things that he does and does well,” said Fitzpatrick on his podcast.
“On the flip side of it, when you watch Shedeur, there are things that certainly pop. He makes more plays downfield with some of the throws and scrambling outside the pocket. But rarely is he playing on time. I think this is probably why he lost the job to Deshaun.”
“I first went back and I watched Deshaun, and then I watched Shedeur… the hard part is you put on the film and there’s things that Deshaun has really regressed at”
Fitz breaks down what he sees in each of the Browns QBs and why he thinks they ended up going with Watson👇 pic.twitter.com/2FGsfru7CZ
— Fitz & Whit (@fitzandwhit) August 26, 2026
Last season, Sanders threw for 1,400 yards, seven interceptions, and 10 interceptions in eight games.
Watson is in the final year of his five-year, $230 million contract he signed in 2022, which was the largest guaranteed deal in league history at that time.
Now that he is back in action, he has every motivation to perform well and regain the old form that made him a three-time Pro Bowler. But perhaps most importantly, Watson should regain the trust of the fans.
The Browns will open their new season against the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 13.
Veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson has a big opportunity to find redemption with the Cleveland Browns after coach Todd Monken chose him to start over sophomore quarterback Shedeur Sanders, ending their tight competition in training camp. Watson was sidelined last season due to an Achilles injury.
