Yahoo Sports NFL on Deshaun Watson

ArticleTodd Monken praises 'awesome' Deshaun Watson, gives update on Browns QB battle
Read the full article

From the article

It was awesome. It was so cool to watch him play... He was having fun today, and that is so cool. And I thought he functioned at a high level... he completed 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards while playing the entire first half.
Captured by STACKED 12 hr after posting

STACKED’s take

Positive signalRole

Watson impresses in preseason return with 11-of-15, 126 yards; Monken praises comfort and confidence.

Deshaun Watson returned to on-field NFL action for the first time since Oct. 20, 2024, in Week 1 of the 2026 preseason against Chicago. Browns coach Todd Monken praised Watson's performance as 'awesome,' noting he 'functioned at a high level' and 'was having fun today.' Watson completed 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards in the entire first half. Monken's stated goal was to 'get his feet wet a little bit' and assess Watson's comfort, confidence, and enjoyment of the game in his return; Monken felt Watson 'accomplished that goal' and was 'comfortable leading up to the game' and 'in the huddle.' Despite the praise, Monken made clear the quarterback competition plan remains unchanged: Shedeur Sanders will start Week 2 against Buffalo, with Watson and Sanders splitting first-team reps at joint practices.

Deshaun Watson headshotDeshaun WatsonQB · CLEPlayer page — value, ADP, projections, and every insight