Deshaun Watson did not make any highlight-worthy plays in the Cleveland Browns’ preseason opener, and that may have been by design. Taking the field for the first time in almost two years, it was much more important that Watson feel comfortable, and head coach Todd Monken did not ask too much of the quarterback, especially playing behind a rebuilt offensive line.
In fact, on the first series against the Chicago Bears, Watson didn’t even attempt a pass. Three straight carries by running back Quinshon Judkins led to a punt.
Watson picked it up from there, leading the Browns on their only two scoring drives in a 34-10 loss. Playing the entire first half, he finished 11 of 15 for 126 yards with no touchdowns, and maybe most importantly, no interceptions.
Based on that modest performance, ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky said the Browns’ QB competition isn’t close, with Watson clearly outplaying Shedeur Sanders on Saturday.
“After preseason Week 1, it’s not close, the competition. I thought Deshaun played faster. He saw it cleaner. The ball jumped off his hands a lot more. Once he sees the defenders split, the ball has to come out right now. I thought this is something that I was surprised by Deshaun. The ball came out quickly. That is a good thing. I do think there were a moment or two of rust, but if you just looked at the snaps as a body of work, Deshaun was clearly better in the game. Even though I’ve been sitting here pounding the table to start Shedeur, I did not find, after preseason Week 1, that it was all that close,” Orlovsky said.
"After preseason Week 1, it's not close."
—@danorlovsky7 on the continued QB battle between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders 😳 pic.twitter.com/IuBRLmaX39
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) August 17, 2026
Watson was very cautious in the passing game, with Orlovsky analyzing one play in particular when the quarterback did not throw to either of two open receivers downfield. That could be because the veteran was very conscious about avoiding interceptions, which had been a problem during training camp, so much so that they may have been costing him the starting job. He did lose a fumble on his only sack.
Sanders, who opened the second half and played into the early fourth quarter, was much more aggressive, with an average of 9.2 air yards per attempt, compared to Watson’s 4.4. He completed two downfield throws but also threw an ugly overthrown interception that is impossible to unsee. With six completions on 11 attempts for 79 yards, his passer rating was 39.6, while Watson’s was 98.2.
Despite modest statistics and a lopsided loss, Monken gave positive reviews to both Watson and Sanders afterward. That sets the stage for another critical week, which includes a joint practice against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday leading up to their preseason game on Saturday.
Sanders will start that one, which may be his last chance to make a case for the Browns’ QB1 job.
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