Deshaun Watson has been a member of the Cleveland Browns for four NFL seasons, but has only played in 19 total games. The blockbuster 2022 trade left the Browns unable to draft much talent as they sold the farm to acquire Watson from the Houston Texans. Cleveland gave up its first-round picks in the 2022, 2023, and 2024 drafts, among more draft capital.
While the whole ordeal hasn't helped either the player nor the team, Watson is set to return in 2026 after sitting out all of last season due to a re-torn Achilles tendon originally suffered midway through the 2024 season.
His return now includes a quarterback competition with second-year player Shedeur Sanders. Neither has separated enough during these offseason workouts for the Browns' new head coach, Todd Monken, to decide who will lead the Browns onto the field in Week 1.
PFSN writer Jacob Infante recently discussed a player from each NFL team who has the most pressure on them to succeed this season. For Cleveland, Infante selected Watson:
"Deshaun Watson has started in just 19 games since the Cleveland Browns traded for him in 2022. He’s regressed across the board statistically and has struggled with availability. That’s not even including the off-field baggage he carries. The price the Browns paid for him, including the salary and the draft capital given up to get him, makes this one of the worst moves in NFL history. Cleveland is stuck with him for now, so the pressure is on him to improve in any capacity in 2026."
As Infante states, the pressure is on Watson to prove he can still compete at the highest level. The Browns have been planning to designate him as a post-June 1 release in March of 2027, which would make him an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career.
The Browns' fan base, however, doesn't consider Watson having much pressure since the quarterback has barely played over these past four seasons. If anything, they thought the Watson era was over following his latest major injury.
Shedeur Sanders and Jared Verse have far more at stake this season
The pressure for this upcoming Browns season is probably more on a player like Sanders, who will be given more opportunities to be the next franchise quarterback for this team. If he doesn't succeed, Cleveland will likely look to draft a quarterback in a 2027 NFL Draft that is expected to feature numerous top-tier candidates like Dante Moore and Arch Manning.
Another Cleveland player with added pressure is new arrival Jared Verse, who was recently traded for when the Browns sent defensive end Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams. While he's only entering his third season, Verse has massive shoes to fill, and fair or not, fans will always view him as Garrett's replacement.
The expectations for Watson are probably higher outside of Cleveland, and while he may get an opportunity this season with the Browns, it will be more on him to do well to help save his career long-term.
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