Deshaun Watson might wind up being the best quarterback on the Cleveland Browns this season, but that doesn’t mean he will suddenly rejoin the best in the NFL. The veteran would still have a lot to prove after being sidelined for almost two years.
With some positive reports about Watson’s performance coming out of Cleveland’s minicamps and OTAs, the hype is tempered by the fact that he has played in just seven NFL games since November 2023, and in those he wasn’t very good. A return to his early-career Pro Bowl form seems unlikely, but he could have a chance to prove doubters wrong if he beats out Shedeur Sanders for the Browns’ starting job in training camp.
Nevertheless, Watson’s numbers from his last NFL action tell a concerning story, as they were among the worst in the league during that 2024 campaign.
“The last we saw of Watson two years ago was a player who had continued to struggle to regain his footing. Indeed, he posted a 63.4 PFF passing grade with eight big-time throws and five turnover-worthy plays across 270 dropbacks that season. Despite the fact that Watson owns a 62.9 overall PFF grade during his oft-criticized tenure in Cleveland, all signs point to him being the team’s QB1 to start the 2026 season. If the former star doesn’t at least produce average results in Todd Monken’s scheme, his leash could be short — and it will prompt serious doubt about his future as an NFL starter,” Bradley Locker wrote.
Watson was initially seen as a potential ideal fit for Monken’s offense, based on his experience and athleticism, two areas where he has a clear edge over Sanders. But the second-year player has made up considerable ground in his pre-snap responsibilities and passing progressions, and he may be able to earn the job on his own.
Coming off a shoulder injury that ended his 2023 season, Watson started Cleveland’s first seven games of 2024 before tearing his Achilles. He completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 1,148 yards, which were his best marks ever with the Browns. He had five TD passes with three interceptions, but he was sacked 33 times, which put him on pace for 80 sacks in a 17-game season.
Since arriving in a 2022 trade with the Houston Texans, Watson has played in just 19 of a possible 68 games. The 3,365 passing yards he compiled over those three seasons are far fewer than he had in any single one of his final three campaigns in Houston.
It is clear to see why there is so much skepticism surrounding Watson’s bid for the job, and what the Browns’ fate might be if he is the choice.
NEXT: Analyst Predicts Who Will Be Browns' Biggest Bust In 2026
