It may have sounded like a grand conspiracy, but prior to the Cleveland Browns’ Week 2 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it seemed as if the organization was preparing for quarterback Deshaun Watson to fail so they could bench him for good ahead of the Week 3 home opener. The stage couldn’t have been more perfectly set for Watson to crash and burn against former No. 1 pick Baker Mayfield, but he did exactly the opposite and had arguably his best performance as a Brown with his back firmly against the wall.
He’ll now look to build upon that strong showing against a defense that surrendered 59 points in Week 1. He sounds as if a weight has been lifted off his shoulders, and with the fans potentially on his side a little bit, it’s going to be fun to see if he can keep improving and get this team over .500.
During a Friday appearance on Up & Adams, former Browns receiver Jarvis Landry shared his two cents on Cleveland’s complicated QB situation. You didn’t hear many people backing Watson as the starter even a week ago, but now, that sentiment is changing, and Landry agrees that he should be the guy right now.
“No matter who you put back there, it’s not going to be successful right now. They’re still kind of figuring it out. I think for Shedeur’s career, I would love to see him continue on the trajectory he was on as opposed to just being thrown in there while they’re figuring it out,” said Landry.
Former Browns WR Jarvis Landry says Shedeur Sanders should NOT be Cleveland’s starting QB right now 👀@God_Son80 | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/kTT3UCBUNs
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) September 25, 2026
It’s an extremely reasonable take, which sometimes catches you off guard when you watch any sports media show. Watson has plenty of experience, and with so many other unproven young players in this offense, it makes sense to have the veteran in there to help with their development as opposed to someone like Sanders who may not be ready and could stunt their growth.
Watson has been adamant about feeding rookies Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion thus far, and each has looked comfortable as immediate centerpieces of this offense. Watson’s mobility has also been a nice added weapon for this offense as he leads the team with 60 rushing yards through two games. That’s not something Sanders does, and it’s a fairly important aspect of Monken’s offense.
Sanders’ time will come at some point, though it’s unclear if that will be in Cleveland. Regardless, it’s tough to argue that he makes sense as the starter right now. Landry is right, and it wouldn’t do him any good to potentially be put in a tough spot, because if he did start again this season and fail, he may not get another chance anywhere in the NFL.
NEXT: Joe Thomas Loves What He Is Seeing From Todd Monken
