As if Deshaun Watson hasn’t already done enough to make Cleveland Browns fans miserable (well, more miserable), his sudden resurrection is really just another middle finger to the franchise.
Watson only started 19 games in his first three seasons with the Browns after being traded from the Houston Texans in 2022. Cleveland gave him a ridiculous contract — five years, $230 million, fully guaranteed — that has kept the team in salary cap hell during that stretch. He missed all of 2025 after he tore his Achilles twice.
Off the field, he has done little to restore his reputation after denying sexual harassment and sexual assault allegations from multiple massage therapists, and then settling 20 cases of sexual misconduct.
Still, rookie head coach Todd Monken named Watson the Browns’ starting quarterback for 2026, ahead of second-year players Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
No biggie, Browns fans thought. We just traded our best player, Myles Garrett. This’ll be our last year with Watson, then we’ll get a high first-round draft pick — plus a first-round pick from the Los Angeles Rams as part of the Garrett trade. We can easily get one of the can’t-miss QB prospects that will be in the 2027 draft class.
Well, maybe not that easily.
Following their Thursday night win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Watson and Browns are 3-1 and sitting on top of the AFC North. Just when Browns fans might be happy to see Watson tank, he’s showing flashes of the talent that made him an MVP candidate with the Texans. Watson has completed 80 of 115 pass attempts (69.6%) for 855 yards, six touchdowns, two interceptions and a passer rating of 101.2.
It’s still early, but the Browns have a favorable schedule. Only one of the next six opponents currently has a winning record. Only three of the remaining 13 opponents were in the playoffs a year ago.
The question, though, isn’t whether or not the Browns will make the playoffs this season. The question is: Will they win too many games to land their quarterback of the future in next year’s draft?
In his latest 2027 NFL mock draft, Athlon Sports’ Luke Easterling has Cleveland drafting Texas’ Arch Manning with the 15th overall pick. Easterling has Manning on the slide — he’s actually the fourth quarterback drafted in this mock.
Also of note: Since this mock is using current NFL records to determine draft order, that 15th pick is actually the one Cleveland is getting from the Rams, who sit at 1-2 right now. The Browns picked at No. 18 here (taking Alabama edge Yhonzae Pierre), but this mock was written before Thursday night’s win — as of now, Cleveland would have the No. 27 pick.
That said, most people expect the Rams to turn things around, so the pick Cleveland gets from them will more likely be in the 20s. And even if the Browns don’t stay on top in the division, they aren’t playing like a team heading for a top 10 draft pick.
If Watson continues to play well, his last contribution to Browns history may be screwing them out of an elite prospect.
Cleveland Browns Essentials
- Every QB Drafted by the Browns
- 5 Best Browns Quarterbacks of All Time
- 5 Best Browns Running Backs of All Time
- 5 Best Browns Wide Receivers of All Time
- NFL’s Richest Owners: Where Does Jimmy Haslam Rank?
More on the Cleveland Browns
- CBS Sports Expert Offers Bold Prediction for Browns After Win Over Steelers in Week 4
- Browns Get Encouraging Injury Update on Mason Graham 1 Day After Steelers Win
- Cleveland Browns Dodge Bullet With Defensive Injuries in Week 4
- Deshaun Watson Delivers a Signature Performance for Surging Browns
