Deshaun Watson waited 693 days to start another NFL game, but his long-awaited return lasted only five plays before the Cleveland Browns were confronted by the same uncomfortable question that has followed their disastrous US$230 million investment for years: can they genuinely continue pretending he is their best quarterback?
Watson’s first possession ended with an interception, Cleveland trailed 24-0 before recording its next first down and Jacksonville eventually cruised to a humiliating 34-10 victory.
The quarterback’s final statistics—16 completions from 22 attempts for 205 yards, one touchdown and one interception—created a misleading impression of respectability.
Watson generated much of that production after the result had effectively been decided, including a 46-yard touchdown pass to rookie Denzel Boston with fewer than two minutes remaining.
New Browns coach Todd Monken refused to immediately guarantee that Watson would start against Tampa Bay in Week 2.
“We’ll evaluate everything,” Monken said after the defeat.
That does not mean Cleveland has decided to bench Watson.
It does mean his position can no longer be treated as completely untouchable.
Watson’s Comeback Collapsed After Five Plays
Watson initially appeared composed during his first regular-season appearance since October 2024.
Two short completions moved Cleveland into Jacksonville territory before the quarterback made the mistake that changed the direction of the game.
Watson failed to recognise linebacker Foyesade Oluokun moving into coverage and threw the ball directly into his path.
Oluokun intercepted the pass, ending Cleveland’s only promising possession before the match became hopelessly one-sided.
“It was just a guy made a play,” Watson said, according to Fox Sports.
“I saw the coverage that brought the blitz late up the middle. They timed it up very well. Got knocked off platform, and 23 made a good play.”
Watson’s explanation was reasonable in isolation.
The greater problem was everything that followed.
Cleveland punted on its next three possessions, recorded only five first downs during the opening half and committed three consecutive penalties when it finally moved into Jacksonville territory.
By the time Watson scrambled for Cleveland’s next first down, only 5:18 remained in the second quarter and the Jaguars had already established a 24-point advantage.
Final Statistics Flattered Watson
A completion rate above 72 per cent and 205 passing yards do not ordinarily suggest a catastrophic performance.
Context changes that assessment completely.
Jacksonville led 31-0 less than three minutes into the third quarter after scoring four touchdowns across its first six possessions.
The Jaguars consequently had no reason to expose their defence by aggressively chasing Watson during the closing stages.
Cleveland’s only touchdown arrived with 1:52 remaining when Boston beat the secondary for a 46-yard reception.
That play accounted for more than 22 per cent of Watson’s total passing yardage.
Without it, he would have finished with 159 yards and no touchdowns.
The Browns generated only 272 net yards, committed 11 penalties for 75 yards and turned the ball over twice, according to the team’s official game recap.
Watson was also sacked five times and struggled to operate the offence efficiently.
Two delay-of-game penalties cost Cleveland valuable opportunities, including one on third-and-two from Jacksonville’s three-yard line.
The Browns were rebuilding under a new coach and faced the reigning AFC South champions, but a 31-0 deficit cannot be dismissed as an ordinary first-week setback.
Monken Refused to Guarantee Watson’s Job
Monken defended Watson from becoming the sole target of Cleveland’s embarrassment.
“It wasn’t all on him,” the coach said.
That is correct.
The Browns’ defence allowed Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence to repeatedly attack downfield, while penalties, protection failures and a first-half fumble compounded Watson’s problems.
Monken also accepted responsibility for his own performance.
“Certainly could have called it better,” he said.
“Certainly could have played better around him. Certainly there’s plays I’m sure he wished he had back.”
However, Monken’s response when asked whether Watson would remain the starter against Tampa Bay was considerably more revealing.
“I’d rather just talk about today because I haven’t had time to look at the tape,” he said.
“We’ll evaluate everything.”
Coaches often avoid making selection decisions immediately after a defeat.
Monken’s refusal should therefore not be interpreted as confirmation that Watson will be removed.
Nevertheless, an established franchise quarterback with a fully guaranteed US$230 million contract would ordinarily receive a much stronger public endorsement.
Watson did not.
Cleveland’s Historic Gamble Looks Worse Every Season
The Browns surrendered three first-round selections and additional draft capital to acquire Watson from Houston in 2022 before handing him a five-year, fully guaranteed contract.
Cleveland accepted enormous financial and reputational risk because it believed Watson could return to the level that made him a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback with the Texans.
That version of Watson has never appeared consistently for the Browns.
His Cleveland career has instead been interrupted by an 11-game NFL suspension, a serious shoulder injury and two Achilles tears.
Watson suffered the initial Achilles injury against Cincinnati in October 2024 before reinjuring the tendon and missing the entire 2025 season.
The physical achievement of returning to start an NFL game after those setbacks should not be ignored.
Watson said remaining healthy was the clearest positive he could take from Jacksonville.
However, availability is only the first requirement.
Cleveland needs competent quarterback play from a player consuming an extraordinary portion of its financial resources.
The Sporting Base’s 2026 Browns season preview predicted Cleveland would finish last in the AFC North partly because nobody knew what to expect from Watson.
One game has done nothing to challenge that concern.
Shedeur Sanders Is Waiting Behind Him
Watson earned the starting position after competing with Shedeur Sanders during training camp.
Sanders gives Cleveland its most intriguing alternative because he offers youth, mobility and the possibility of becoming part of the organisation’s future.
That does not necessarily make him ready to start.
Monken sees every training session, understands the complete offence and selected Watson three weeks before the regular season began.
Changing quarterbacks after one game could create further instability within a team already adapting to a new coaching staff and several significant roster changes.
Cleveland’s other options also include Taylen Green and Dillon Gabriel, leaving the Browns without an obvious veteran replacement capable of immediately transforming the offence.
Watson may therefore remain the starter because Cleveland believes he is still its best available option—not because his performance in Jacksonville earned another opportunity.
That distinction matters.
If Watson produces another lifeless offensive display against Tampa Bay, calls for Sanders will become considerably harder to resist.
Watson Has Already Lost Cleveland’s Patience
Watson entered the season with a strained relationship with Browns supporters.
He criticised Cleveland fans after being booed during a preseason defeat to Buffalo, describing the treatment as disrespectful and suggesting he received more support during road games.
A strong performance in Jacksonville could have changed the conversation.
Instead, Watson threw an interception on the fifth offensive play and led an attack that failed to score a meaningful touchdown.
The Week 1 performance will inevitably strengthen the belief among frustrated supporters that Cleveland must begin planning beyond him.
The Browns do not need to make an emotional decision immediately.
They should review the protection, play-calling, route execution and Watson’s decision-making before determining whether a change is justified.
But patience cannot become denial.
Watson’s contract explains why Cleveland has given him repeated opportunities.
It should not guarantee unlimited ones.
After 693 days away, Watson finally received another chance to prove he could revive his career and rescue one of the most criticised trades in NFL history.
Five plays later, the comeback had already begun to unravel.
