The Deshaun Watson situation just keeps getting worse for the Cleveland Browns.
When the Browns named Watson their starter for the 2026 regular season, countless fans expressed their disappointment online. They’ve been wanting him off the roster for years now, and many people thought he’d be gone after calling out the fans in the preseason.
Though it’s not really a huge surprise, Watson didn’t have a Pro Bowl-level performance Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Watson completed 16-of-22 passes for 205 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also had 38 rushing yards for the Browns.
Melina Myers-Imagn Images.
While speaking to the media Wednesday afternoon, Watson suggested that he’s dealing with unfair expectations in Cleveland.
“I think the media has this expectation that I’m supposed to throw 400 yards and 5 touchdowns every week,” Watson told reporters.
No, the media is expecting Watson to be more productive considering he’s on a $230 million contract. Since joining the Browns in 2022, he has thrown for a total of 3,570 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Watson may not want to hear it, but that stat line isn’t going to cut it.
Will Deshaun start Week 2?
Despite all the controversy surrounding Watson, the Browns will stick with him as their starter for Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“It’s only been two weeks he’s gotten all the reps. And there were some really good things on film. Some things that you can build on, and there were some others that operationally we got to get better at,” Browns coach Todd Monken said. “I did think that when he had time, when he understood the concepts, he didn’t play tentative, that he let it rip. … I’d like to see how we could build on that. I liked his week of practice last week, and I think he’s only going to continue to get better.”
If Watson stumbles against the Buccaneers, maybe that’ll lead to Shedeur Sanders getting the starting nod in Week 3. For now though, Watson will run the first-team offense in Cleveland.
