Two weeks of preseason games are in the books, and we’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.Â
This past week’s slate of preseason games, plus joint practices, brought us more glimpses of what we could expect to see in the regular season. But it brought some drama, too. Deshaun Watson was named the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback on Monday after making pointed remarks to the team’s fans following his lackluster performance on Saturday. There’s also an unusual storyline developing with players who might wind up playing college football in the next couple of weeks.Â
So, with only one more preseason week to go, here are our takeaways from the latest slate of preseason games.Â
Ralph Vacchiano: Deshaun Watson showed everyone on Saturday why he shouldnt be the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback, with a terrible on-field performance and an even worse one off the field.
Then, Todd Monken gave him the job anyway.Â
Maybe thats a sign that the new Browns coach had nothing but bad options in his quarterback competition, but his choice still couldnt have been any worse. He went with a 30-year-old wholl surely be an ex-Brown next season over a somewhat promising young quarterback, Shedeur Sanders. And he did it two days after Watson was terrible in a preseason game against the Bills (5 of 12 for 36 yards and an interception) and then showed an incredible lack of self-awareness (and an abundance of immaturity) when he whined about being booed.
“I think the whole world knows it has nothing to do with the performance,” Watson said. “Its a little more personal than that. So, I think thats a disrespectful thing.”
OK, thats a little rich and a lot outrageous, coming from the man who got the biggest fully-guaranteed contract in NFL history from the Browns in 2022 (five years, $230 million) even though he hadnt played in two years and was accused of sexual misconduct by 27 women. He then rewarded that startling generosity by only being healthy enough to play in 19 games over the last four seasons â and not particularly well, either.
Even without that bad moment, though, Monken still made the wrong choice. The coach had been leaning this way, multiple team sources told me, in part because the Browns early schedule is overloaded with road games (their first two and six of their first nine), and Monken thought Watsons veteran presence would help his young team. But Watsons play didnt warrant that faith. He was just 16 of 27 for 162 yards and an interception in two preseason games. His passer rating of 61.0 was even a notch below Sanders 65.2.
So while its true that there was no good option here, its also true that really is no upside to Watson, who is understandably reviled by what seems to be a majority of the Browns fan base. Starting Sanders at least wouldve given them hope that he can get better, something to look forward to other than the QB-rich 2027 draft.
Instead, Monken latched on to the anchor that has been scraping the Browns along rock bottom for the last five years. Sanders will surely get a shot later this season. But as usual in Cleveland, any hope for the future is delayed.
Greg Auman: The most backwards trend of the NFL preseason? Marginal players testing the waters of playing in NFL preseason games and ⦠going back to college.
It seems impossible, but these days, if you can get a judge to rule the right way, traditional lines of amateurism and eligibility can disappear. The NCAAs shift to a five-year eligibility model wasnt intended to be backdated for athletes who had exhausted their window â and signed a pro contract, gotten paid and even played for NFL teams.
But thats really happening, leaving general managers to wonder if theyll lose players off their roster to the allure of NIL money from colleges. Tight end DaeQuan Wright, an undrafted rookie with the Browns, put his name in the transfer portal. Clevela
