Back in June, Browns general manager Andrew Berry said he would not rule out a new deal for quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is now in the final season of his infamous five-year contract with Cleveland. At the time, Watson was still battling second-year pro Shedeur Sanders for the Browns’ starting QB job, and given that Watson’s tenure with the club to that point could reasonably be classified as disastrous, it was easy enough to dismiss Berry’s comments as little more than GM-speak.
But after an ugly Week 1 defeat at the hands of the Jaguars, Watson reeled off three straight wins, completing 68.8% of his passes and throwing for five TDs against one interception. All of those victories were decided by one score and featured game-winning drives engineered by Watson.
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com subsequently reported that “all options are on the table” with respect to Watson’s future with the Browns. While the club could certainly take the long-expected route of allowing Watson to depart in the offseason, Berry may also elect to retain him as a bridge option to a younger passer or – if Watson should enjoy sustained success over the course of the season and help clinch a playoff berth – authorize a new, multiyear commitment.
After Cabot’s article was published, the Browns dropped a 17-12 decision to the Jets, a game in which Watson completed just 15 of 33 passes for 155 yards. It is still quite possible that Watson’s earlier struggles as a member of the Browns will resurface, and even if he plays well enough to keep the QB1 gig but Cleveland falls out of contention, the team could give Sanders another shot.
Still, it is clear that new head coach Todd Monken’s offense has allowed Watson to look more like the player the Browns thought they were getting when they acquired him from Houston, and the 31-year-old has shown enough mobility to suggest the Achilles injury that sidelined him for most of 2024 and all of 2025 is behind him. While his future in Cleveland remains unclear, the fact that the door is not entirely closed to a 2027 return is notable nonetheless.
Sanders recently hired an agent, which was a sign to some that he could be looking for a trade out of Cleveland. Subsequent reports indicated the Browns would not oblige a Sanders trade request if he should make one, so he clearly remains in the club’s plans in some capacity. The Browns presently have two first-round picks in the 2027 draft, so regardless of how Watson and Sanders fare throughout the remainder of the ‘26 season, the team will be well-positioned to add a player with franchise QB upside in April.
Watson will have the chance to bolster his stock on Sunday, as the Browns face a Ravens team that will be piloted by Tyler Huntley. A 2-0 start in the division (Cleveland defeated the Steelers 4) would certainly help Watson’s cause.
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