Deshaun Watson took the field for the first time in almost two years when the Cleveland Browns faced the Chicago Bears in their preseason opener on Saturday. It went very much as expected, with head coach Todd Monken protecting the veteran early before he got comfortable.
Watson played the entire first half, and he led the Browns to their only touchdown in a 34-10 loss. He arguably outplayed Shedeur Sanders as the two took the next step in their competition to become Cleveland’s starting QB this season.
Over six offensive series, Watson completed 11 of 15 pass attempts for 126 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. His 98.2 passer rating was far better than Sanders’ mark of 39.6.
Overall, it was an impressive preseason performance by Watson, who likely extended whatever lead he may have had over Sanders.
“Deshaun Watson in the first half vs. the Bears: 18 dropbacks; 11/15 (73.3% completion rate); 129 passing yards (4 rushing yards); 98.2 passer rating; sacked once (one lost fumble); 2.75s avg. time to throw; 4.4 air yards per attempt,” Daniel Oyefusi posted.
Deshaun Watson in the first half vs. the Bears:
18 dropbacks
11/15 (73.3% completion rate)
129 passing yards (4 rushing yards)
98.2 passer rating
Sacked once (one lost fumble)
2.75s avg. time to throw
4.4 air yards per attempt pic.twitter.com/GTeKCGzUCa— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) August 15, 2026
If there is a shortcoming to be found, it would be Watson’s air yards per attempt, as he did not have one completion on a pass of more than 10 yards. Monken’s offense relies heavily on downfield throws, and that was thought to be an ideal fit for Watson, but this may have been more a function of his rust and an offensive line that struggled against the Bears.
The Browns received the opening kickoff, putting Watson on the field for the first time since he tore his Achilles tendon in October 2024. He did not attempt a pass on that opening series, with Cleveland punting after three straight running plays.
Watson then led a short scoring drive that ended with a field goal by Andre Szmyt. The quarterback threw consecutive completions to Blake Whiteheart, Jerry Jeudy and Denzel Boston to convert a first-and-25 situation.
Then, on the first possession of the second quarter, Watson led a 10-play, 81-yard touchdown drive that was highlighted by a 43-yard catch-and-run by running back Dylan Sampson off a checkdown pass. Following a completion to KC Concepcion, the wide receiver then took a sweep handoff to the pylon for a TD.
While Watson and the Browns surely would have liked a victory, or at least a closer game, there are reasons to be encouraged by his performance.
NEXT: Browns Lose To Bears 34-10 In First Preseason Game
