The Cleveland Browns will keep Deshaun Watson under center for their Week 2 trip to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with head coach Todd Monken backing the quarterback after a 34-10 opening-day loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Browns keep Watson as Week 2 starter after Jaguars loss
SEO Title: Browns sticking with Deshaun Watson for Week 2 at Buccaneers
SEO Description: Todd Monken says Deshaun Watson will remain Cleveland’s starting quarterback against Tampa Bay after the Browns’ 34-10 loss in Jacksonville.
Monken said Monday that he expects Watson to start in Tampa Bay, choosing continuity despite an uneven return in Jacksonville. Watson completed 16 of 22 passes for 205 yards, but his first possession ended with an interception and Cleveland managed no points before halftime.
The Browns trailed 24-0 at the break, with Watson producing 75 passing yards and the turnover during the first two quarters. His final numbers were helped by a 46-yard touchdown strike on Cleveland’s last drive, after the game had already swung heavily in Jacksonville’s favor.
Watson’s return came 693 days after his previous start. The 31-year-old missed most of the 2024 season and all of 2025 while dealing with multiple Achilles injuries, and Monken noted that Watson had only received full practice repetitions for two weeks.
Monken sees foundations to build on
While acknowledging that the offense must improve, Monken said the film showed enough positive work to continue with Watson. He said the quarterback was willing to make throws when he had protection and understood the coverage and route concepts.
Monken pointed to the late touchdown as an example of Watson and his receiver communicating successfully against Jacksonville’s top cornerback. Although the score came late, the coach said it showed the type of execution Cleveland can develop as Watson gets more time in the offense.
“There were good things on the tape and there are pieces we can build from,” Monken said. “There were also operational issues that have to improve. When he had time and recognized the concept, he was not hesitant to let the ball go.”
The coach added that Watson’s practice work before the opener had been encouraging and said he expects the quarterback to continue progressing.
Entire offense under scrutiny
Cleveland’s problems in Jacksonville extended beyond Watson. The Browns struggled to operate efficiently, including getting into and out of the huddle, and the offense had repeated mental errors while failing to consistently challenge the Jaguars defense.
Monken said the coaching staff, supporting cast and quarterback all share responsibility for the performance.
“The tape confirmed the decision,” Monken said of retaining Watson. “We have to be better around him, we have to coach it better and he has to play better. Our inability to operate consistently was on all of us.”
The Buccaneers game now gives Watson and the Browns an immediate chance to respond. Another difficult outing would increase pressure before Cleveland returns home in Week 3, where Watson could face a far less forgiving reception from Browns fans after preseason boos and the lopsided defeat in Jacksonville.
