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Watson received a fully guaranteed $230 million contract from the Browns in what the source describes as the worst decision made by a GM in the last 25 years (if not longer). In 2026, he appears to be laying the groundwork to emerge from irrelevance and regain the starting job, but unless he pulls off a miracle and returns to his Houston form, Browns fans can prepare for another season filled with frustration under center.

Watson carries a $40 million cap hit but hasn't lit up camp so far. The source predicts Shedeur Sanders will be the Week 1 starter because Watson's training camp and preseason performances make starting him indefensible. Watson's post-injury play style is described as defanged with a popgun arm.

Davis Mattek expresses severe skepticism about Deshaun Watson's 2025 outlook. He does not believe in a Watson resurgence season, stating 'I don't think it happens. I think even if Watson starts a season, he's gonna be terrible.' Mattek cites Watson's 2021 EPA per play as 'terrible' and 'god awful,' predicting he will be 'benched with an absolute swiftness.' He also questions Watson's durability, asking 'how many games do you think Deshaun Watson is going to play? Like four, five.' Mattek has Watson at 82 teams for $469 in his portfolio, indicating minimal exposure.

Watson carries a $40M cap hit but hasn't impressed in Cleveland training camp so far. Todd Monken has spoken glowingly of second-year QB Shedeur Sanders, and the source predicts Sanders will be the Week 1 starter because Watson's training camp and preseason performances make starting him indefensible. Watson's post-injury arm strength and defanged play style limit the passing game to quick-release plays.

Watson carries a $40 million cap hit but hasn't lit up camp so far. The source predicts Shedeur Sanders will be the Week 1 starter because Watson's training camp and preseason performances make starting him indefensible. Watson's post-injury play style is described as a 'popgun arm and defanged style,' limiting the passing game to quick-release plays.

Watson carries a $40 million cap hit but hasn't lit up camp so far and is facing competition from second-round pick Shedeur Sanders. New head coach Todd Monken has spoken glowingly of Sanders, and a long-time beat writer anointed Sanders the favorite earlier in spring. Prediction: Sanders is the Week 1 starter because Watson's training camp and preseason performances make starting him indefensible.

Watson is the favorite to start for Cleveland despite underwhelming training camp performance, but the source predicts Shedeur Sanders will be the Week 1 starter because Watson's camp and preseason performances make starting him indefensible. Watson carries a $40 million cap hit and his post-injury play style is described as defanged with a popgun arm, limiting the passing game to quick-release plays.

Watson is the more likely Week 1 starter for the Browns but faces significant uncertainty. He has played in just 19 games across the first four seasons of his contract due to various injuries and an 11-game suspension in 2022. In 2025, Watson missed the entire season after the torn Achilles he sustained in 2024 ruptured again in January. The Browns drafted Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel in 2025, and only Sanders has a shot at the Week 1 starting job. However, the money Cleveland has committed to Watson in 2026—the last year of his deal—will be enough of a sunk cost for the Browns to give him a shot with new head coach Todd Monken, though his leash will be very short.

Watson has produced just 9 wins in 19 games despite a $230 million guaranteed contract; he missed 10 games in 2024 and all of 2025 due to a twice-torn Achilles and will compete with Shedeur Sanders for the starting job under new coach Todd Monken. The source notes there is not much to be done this year about quarterback play other than hoping Monken can extract something approaching average performance from the Watson/Sanders combo.

Watson took first-team reps Friday and threw his third interception in as many practices when he was picked off by linebacker Quincy Williams over the middle of the field. On Day 1 of camp, Watson struggled, throwing passes that were intercepted by cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Damarri Mathis on back-to-back throws in 11-on-11 drills.

Watson took first-team reps Friday and threw his third interception in as many practices when he was picked off by linebacker Quincy Williams over the middle of the field. On Day 1 of camp, Watson struggled, throwing back-to-back interceptions in 11-on-11 drills to cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Damarri Mathis.

Watson took first-team QB reps during Day 3 of training camp as part of the alternating practice schedule with Shedeur Sanders, but was intercepted by LB Quincy Williams during the session, continuing a pattern of turnovers in the QB competition.

Watson took first-team QB reps during Day 3 training camp as part of the alternating practice schedule with Shedeur Sanders, but was intercepted by LB Quincy Williams during the session, continuing a pattern of turnovers in the competition.

JJ Zachariason speculates that while Watson was initially favored as the Browns' starter, the team has seen his arm is done and is shifting their internal lean toward Shedeur Sanders. Zachariason still thinks Watson most likely starts the year but the leash will be very short, perhaps two or three games, before it becomes Sanders' team.

QB Deshaun Watson was the first quarterback to work with the first-team offense on Day 1 of training camp but struggled early, throwing back-to-back interceptions—one to CB Denzel Ward and another to CB Damarri Mathis—in 7-on-7 drills, raising early concerns about his performance in the quarterback competition with Shedeur Sanders.

Browns QB Deshaun Watson got off to a slow start on Day 1 of training camp, throwing two interceptions as the first passer up with the No. 1 offense. The Athletic noted Watson was 'mostly dreadful' in his opening performance amid an active quarterback competition with Shedeur Sanders.