Deshaun Watson remains locked in an open quarterback competition with Shedeur Sanders for the Cleveland Browns’ starting job, and his position grew shakier following a 31-7 preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills on August 22, 2026. Watson completed just 5 of 12 passes for 36 yards with an interception, drawing loud boos from sections of the home crowd at Huntington Bank Field. Head coach Todd Monken has yet to name a starting quarterback for the regular season.
The uncertainty marks the latest chapter in a turbulent four-year run in Cleveland defined by a historic contract, an extended league suspension, and recurring season-ending injuries.
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The 2026 Preseason Quarterback Battle
Cleveland entered training camp rotating first-team practice repetitions between Watson and Sanders, framing the depth chart as an open contest.
Deshaun Watson opened the preseason on August 15 against the Chicago Bears, completing 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards in a 34-10 loss. Sanders then started the second matchup against Buffalo on August 22, with Watson entering later in relief.
| Quarterback | Completions / Attempts | Passing Yards | Touchdowns | Interceptions |
| Deshaun Watson | 5 of 12 | 36 | 0 | 1 |
| Shedeur Sanders | 9 of 11 | 74 | 1 | 1 |
The contrasting performances intensified the debate over Cleveland’s depth chart. Watson addressed the crowd’s hostile reaction after the game, calling the booing “disrespectful” and “personal,” and noting that he often feels more support in road environments than at home.
College Prominence and Houston Stardom
Deshaun Watson rose to national prominence at Clemson University, leading the Tigers to a national championship victory in the 2016 season. The Houston Texans selected him 12th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft.
In Houston, Watson developed into one of the league’s premier dual-threat quarterbacks:
- Earned three consecutive Pro Bowl selections (2018–2020).
- Guided the Texans to back-to-back AFC South division titles in 2018 and 2019.
- Led the NFL in passing yards in 2020 with 4,823 yards, throwing 33 touchdowns against seven interceptions.
He sat out the entire 2021 season amid off-field legal issues and an active trade request.
The 2022 Disciplinary Settlement and Trade
In March 2022, Cleveland acquired Deshaun Watson from Houston in exchange for three first-round picks (2022, 2023, 2024) and additional draft compensation.
Between 2021 and 2022, more than two dozen women filed civil lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct by Watson during massage therapy sessions. While two grand juries declined to indict him on criminal charges, the league launched an independent probe under the NFL personal conduct policy.
In August 2022, the NFL and NFLPA finalized a disciplinary settlement:
- An 11-game suspension without pay.
- A $5 million fine, setting a league record for a player disciplinary fine at the time.
- Mandatory behavioral evaluation and clinical treatment.
- Joint financial contributions of $7 million toward sexual assault prevention organizations.
Watson maintained his innocence throughout the process and returned for the Browns’ final six games of the 2022 campaign.
Limited Availability and Injury History
Watson’s on-field continuity in Cleveland has been limited to 19 total starts across four seasons:
- 2022: Completed 58.2% of his passes for 1,102 yards, seven touchdowns, and five interceptions over six starts (3-3 record).
- 2023: Made six starts before suffering a displaced glenoid fracture in his throwing shoulder in November 2023, requiring season-ending surgery.
- 2024: Started seven games before tearing his right Achilles tendon in Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
- 2025: Sidelined for the entire regular season while undergoing extended rehabilitation.
- 2026: Cleared for full contact during the offseason program, learning Monken’s offensive playbook before entering camp.
Through 73 career NFL starts, according to official Pro-Football-Reference passing data, Watson has completed 66.2% of his passes for 17,904 yards, 123 touchdowns, and 48 interceptions, adding 2,142 rushing yards and 20 scores on the ground.
Contract Structure and Cap Flexibility
Cleveland signed Watson to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract extension upon his arrival in 2022.
According to financial figures from Spotrac’s NFL salary cap tracker, the Deshaun Watson deal carries a heavy salary cap burden. The fully guaranteed nature of the agreement creates substantial dead-cap penalties if the team cuts ties early, though moving on could clear more than $50 million in cap space by 2028.
What to Watch Next
Cleveland’s upcoming roster decisions will hinge on three major factors:
- Live Evaluation: Sanders provides a younger, developing alternative who has taken steady first-team reps, while Watson brings senior NFL starting experience.
- Financial Reality: Watson’s dead-cap penalties limit short-term roster moves, making an outright release complicated before 2027.
- Locker Room and Fan Dynamics: The coaching staff must balance on-field efficiency with an increasingly divided home crowd.
Monken and the Browns front office are expected to finalize their starting quarterback decision ahead of Week 1 preparation.
