BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Deshaun Watson has won the competition to be the Cleveland Browns starting quarterback for the Sept. 13 opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, a person familiar with the move told The Associated Press on Monday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because coach Todd Monken has not publicly announced the move.
Watson, a 10-year veteran, won the competition over Shedeur Sanders as both split reps with the first unit throughout the offseason, training camp and the preseason.
The decision will not be popular with Browns fans, who have booed Watson repeatedly during his time in Cleveland.
Monken said Sunday that Watson’s comments after the Browns’ 31-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Saturday were not expected to play a deciding factor in his final decision.
Watson has started only 19 games for Cleveland since being acquired from Houston in 2022 and signing a fully guaranteed, $230 million contract that will likely go down as perhaps one of the worst trades and contract in NFL history. He is 9-10 with the Browns with 19 touchdown passes, 12 interceptions and an 80.7 passer rating.
Many thought Watson's time with the Browns would be over after he said the boos on Saturday were “personal” and showed “disrespect” after he took the field in Cleveland for the first time in 22 months.
“I thought being away for two years and working myself back from two Achilles injuries and putting the time in, being around the facility, being around the city, doing charity work in the city, supporting the Cleveland Browns, hanging out with fans whenever I do see them, being honest, being the type of person I know I am, and the character would help, and I guess it hasn’t," he said after completing 5 of 12 passes for 36 yards and an interception while on the field with players at the bottom of the roster who likely will be cut in a couple of weeks.
As Watson was rehabbing from rupturing his right Achilles twice, owner Jimmy Haslam said during last year’s owners meetings that the Browns “took a big swing and miss” when they sent three first-round picks to Houston for Watson in 2022.
Watson completed 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards and directed two scoring drives working with other starters and the second team during the first half of the preseason opener at Chicago.
Sanders has shown steady improvement throughout the offseason. He started the final seven games of his rookie season, going 3-4 with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Sanders went 9 of 11 for 74 yards with a touchdown and interception during the first half against the Bills. Sanders completed his first eight passes before he was picked off by Damar Hamlin on a pass he threw behind tight end Jermaine Terry.
He was 6 of 11 for 79 yards with an interception in the second half against the Bears.
Sanders' biggest improvement is his ability to stand in the pocket as well as move up when he needs to, along with better footwork and decision making.
Even though Sanders will be on the sideline for the opener, he is likely to start at some point this season.
In 2022, Watson missed the first 11 games because of a league suspension resulting from his alleged sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions. He made six starts in 2023 before a season-ending shoulder injury and started seven in 2024 before the first of two Achilles tendon injuries.
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