The Cleveland Browns’ decision to name Deshaun Watson as their starting quarterback is drawing strong opinions from all around the sports media. It also has an effect on another important component of the NFL fan experience.
Sportsbooks were waiting to find out if it would be Watson or Shedeur Sanders playing for Cleveland in the season opener on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Now that it’s clear, the betting line can be set appropriately.
The Browns have already been given notable odds for that Week 1 matchup, installed as 7.5-point underdogs against one of the AFC’s better teams.
“Browns +7.5 at JAX week 1 with Watson starting,” More For You Cleveland posted.
#Browns +7.5 at JAX week 1 with Watson starting
— MoreForYouCleveland (@MoreForYou_CLE) August 24, 2026
The oddsmakers seem to be on the side of most Browns fans, as they think Cleveland has a lesser chance of defeating Jacksonville with Watson at QB. The line was hovering around plus-6.5 to plus-7, but it went up with this news. The money line, which measures the Browns’ chances to win the game outright, also jumped, moving from plus-275 to plus-313.
It would have been a difficult task for Cleveland, coming off a five-win season, to upset Jacksonville, a 13-win team last year, on the road, no matter who the quarterback might be. Add to that the fact that the Browns have a new head coach who runs a demanding offense, and nine new starters on that side of the ball, and it’s somewhat surprising that the odds are not even higher.
With a Week 2 matchup at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to follow, Monken mentioned how he believed Watson gave the Browns the best chance to win facing those circumstances. So even though the coach said this is not a week-to-week decision, it could change quickly back to Sanders if Watson plays poorly in the first two regular-season games.
However, Monken is, of course, hoping that Watson will play well and can build up at least some goodwill so he does not face the boos from the Huntington Bank Field crowd if he is still the quarterback for the home opener against the Carolina Panthers in Week 3.
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