Deshaun Watson is in the final year of that monster five-year, fully-guaranteed $230 million contract, and the Cleveland Browns are absolutely living the sunk-cost fallacy right now. They poured unbelievable cash and effort into landing the guy, and yeah, $230 million reasons usually keeps a player at QB1. But after a brutal 0-1 start to the 2026 season, a Week 1 drubbing by the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Deshaun’s ongoing struggles, you have to ask: what is the plan here, Cleveland? Because what our eyes are telling us is Watson is nowhere near the answer.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: It’s Really, REALLY Bad
Look, sometimes you just know, right? Watson’s Cleveland career has him ranked as one of the two worst quarterbacks in the league by multiple efficiency metrics. That’s not a hot take, that’s just cold, hard fact. Since 2022, among 51 quarterbacks with 500-plus pass attempts, Watson is straight up at the bottom in almost everything that matters. We’re talking 50th in expected points added (EPA) per dropback at -0.19, with only Zach Wilson somehow worse. He’s also 50th in yards per dropback at 5.0, barely beating Cam Ward. And for good measure, he’s 50th in sack rate at 11.5%, with Justin Fields as the only guy behind him. Ouch.
Week 1 against the Jaguars was a complete disaster, a textbook example of these stats playing out on the field. Watson absorbed five sacks, tossed an easy interception, and had the Browns trailing 31-0 at one point. It’s not just the fans seeing it either. When safety Ronnie Hickman was asked about continuity at quarterback, his response was telling: “That’s above my pay grade.” Even first-year head coach Todd Monken, who firmly backs Watson, sounds like he’s just trying to maintain order. “Really, to be honest, [the players in the locker room] don’t have a choice,” Monken said. “This isn’t a debate. Our job is to put the best player on the field that we think gives us the best chance to win.” Yeah, but are they actually doing that?
The Baker Mayfield Ghost Haunts Cleveland
It gets even worse when you remember how Cleveland got into this mess. Back in 2022, they literally paved the way for Watson by trading away their 2018 first-overall pick, Baker Mayfield, to the Carolina Panthers for a conditional fifth-round pick in 2024. Then they sent the Houston Texans a package highlighted by three first-round picks for Watson, on top of giving him the most guaranteed money on a single contract in NFL history. That’s a lot of capital, a lot of hope, and a whole lot of guaranteed cash for a guy who has consistently underperformed.
Now, guess who the Browns are playing in Week 2? None other than Baker Mayfield, who’s been crushing it. He’s led the Buccaneers to two NFC South division titles in three full seasons in Tampa Bay and just signed a sweet new three-year, $165 million contract with $120 million guaranteed. That’s got to sting, right? Cleveland traded their future for a present that looks absolutely bleak, and now they face the guy they jettisoned who’s actually winning. This Week 2 matchup isn’t just another game; it’s a stark reminder of what could have been and what definitely is not.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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