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10 hours ago
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A forced year on the sidelines might end up being the reset Deshaun Watson needed in Cleveland. Once dismissed as arguably the league's least productive starter in 2024, the quarterback now appears positioned to open the 2026 campaign under center for the Browns, with first-year head coach Todd Monken reportedly seeing a real fit between Watson's tools and his Air Raid-influenced playbook.
The case for that comeback gained fresh traction in a Tuesday feature by ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi and Jeremy Fowler. Someone in Watson's inner circle told the outlet that skipping the 2025 season turned out to be "the best thing that could've happened to him. He wasn't rushed back onto the field, and he had time to reflect on how he can get the best out of this year, and he's excited."
The numbers behind Watson's tenure in Cleveland remain harsh. Acquired from the Houston Texans in March 2022 and locked into a fully guaranteed five-year, $230M deal, he has logged only 19 starts in a Browns uniform. His 2024 season ended in October with a torn Achilles, and a second rupture during rehabilitation wiped out his entire 2025 schedule.
Now 30, Watson is staring at a Week 1 trip to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 13 that could reframe the entire conversation around his future. Should things click with Monken, the time away from football, painful as it was, may go down as the turning point that quietly salvaged his stay in Cleveland.
Monken's scheme, Sanders' shadow, and a future Watson haven't closed the door on
Albert Breer, writing for Sports Illustrated on May 18, struck a more measured tone and put faith in the head coach to handle the competition cleanly. "I do believe head coach Todd Monken is going to be fair about it. What does that mean? To me, it means no one's getting anointed. The best man will win," Breer wrote. He also acknowledged the financial reality: "And, yes, I think the Browns would like to get one last long look at the quarterback they're spending $230 million on."
Standing in the way is Shedeur Sanders, taken 144th overall in the 2025 draft while Watson was rehabbing his twice-ruptured right Achilles. The rookie debuted in Week 11, started seven contests, threw for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns against 10 interceptions, found the end zone through the air in Week 14, helped the Browns close the year with back-to-back wins, and earned a Pro Bowl nod.
Watson's own availability tells a tougher story. He has been on the field for just 28% of Cleveland's games across four seasons, and the franchise carries no apparent obligation to commit beyond 2026, especially with the 2027 draft class shaping up to feature several intriguing quarterback prospects.
Whether the Browns reciprocate that openness will hinge on what Monken's offense actually produces once OTA reps stop being theoretical.
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