After Week 1, it looked like Deshaun Watson wouldn’t be the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback for long. Now, heading into Week 5, it seems like it is now his job for the rest of the season.
While that is bad news for Shedeur Sanders, it is very good news for the Browns, who have gotten surprisingly effective play from Watson during a current three-game winning streak built on game-winning fourth-quarter scoring drives. After being sidelined for almost two years, Watson is more likely to improve as the season goes on rather than take major steps backwards.
Insider Tony Grossi recently got honest about Watson’s job security, saying that he has “survived the worst” as far as a potential benching.
“I think in Todd Monken’s mind, there’s no week-to-week, month-to-month. That whole narrative has dissolved the way Monken wanted it to as a result of Watson’s play. He’s still not putting complete games together, so there’s so much room for improvement, both for him and the offense in general. I think he’s survived the worst,” Grossi said.
"I think in Todd Monken's mind, there's no week to week, month to month, that whole narrative has dissolved the way Monken wanted it to," – @TonyGrossi on Deshaun Watson's job security as QB1. pic.twitter.com/zMfvcafzkb
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) October 9, 2026
Of course, an injury can change Watson’s path in an instant, and it can not be ruled out based on his history. Including his NFL suspension related to sexual assault allegations, he has never played more than seven games in a season with the Browns.
Despite head coach Todd Monken’s unwavering support of him, Watson was thought to have only a two-game runway before eventually being replaced by Sanders for the home opener in Week 3, based as much on the potential fan reaction as anything else. That seemed certain after an embarrassing loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the season opener.
But after a comeback win in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Watson did it again against the Carolina Panthers in Week 3 and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 4 to create a great deal of momentum that won back some fans in the process. Now, with the Browns in first place in the AFC North, there is no need for change on the horizon.
While talk of Watson being back among the elite QBs in the NFL is certainly premature, he is well on his way to having his best season with Cleveland, and he will be given every opportunity to build on that in the weeks and months ahead.
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