The Cleveland Browns are in the middle of a preseason that was always going to be defined by the quarterback room, and Sunday’s loss to the Buffalo Bills only added another layer to it.
Cleveland fell 31-7, but the bigger story played out around Deshaun Watson’s return to Huntington Bank Field, his first home game since tearing his right Achilles there in October 2024. The crowd, only about half full, booed him when he entered after halftime, and the reaction continued as his day went on.
Watson finished 5 of 12 for 36 yards and an interception across four second-half drives, and afterward called the crowd’s response “disrespectful.”
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Watson has not looked like the Pro Bowl quarterback he was in Houston since arriving in Cleveland, and with Shedeur Sanders drawing plenty of attention in a crowded quarterback competition, the scrutiny on Watson has only increased. Still, it was what he said after the game that drew the most reaction.
“Last time I played on this field, I tore my Achilles. And that same fanbase, they cheered when I got hurt,” Watson said. “So what does that have to do with anything about performance? When a person gets hurt, especially for your own city, and they cheer?”
On Monday morning, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Cleveland’s quarterback decision may be nearing a resolution, and that Watson’s comments from the postgame press conference will factor into it alongside his play on the field.
“Deshaun Watson had some momentum, he had a couple of good weeks here, stacked some good plays,” Fowler said. “He was getting some prominent reps… Now, the Browns have to weigh what happened on the field for Watson, and also what he said in that press conference. Is he in a good space to be the leader for this team?”
Fowler said he expects Todd Monken and his staff to sit down and review the competition from start to finish, with Monday potentially bringing clarity for both Watson and Sanders on which direction the team is leaning.
Sanders, for his part, has continued to make an impression beyond just his play, according to Fowler.
“I will say about Shedeur Sanders, when I talk to people with the Browns, the word presence, the word aura, comes up, like he has something to him that has certainly helped his cause, and he played well yesterday, so he’s made a compelling case,” Fowler added.
The Browns close out their preseason on Aug. 27 against the New England Patriots, a game in which Cleveland could rest its starters.
