Deshaun Watson’s recent stretch has changed the conversation in Cleveland, and it’s even drawing pointed criticism of the coach who had him before Todd Monken.
After the Browns opened the season with questions swirling around Watson’s status as the starter, he helped lead them to back-to-back wins, first over the Buccaneers in Week 2 and then a 21-18 victory over the Panthers in Week 3. That run was enough for former NFL head coach Rex Ryan to go on ESPN’s “Get Up” Monday morning and make his feelings clear.
Ryan praised Monken’s trust in Watson and took a shot at former Browns coach Kevin Stefanski in the process. He said Stefanski “got zero out of Watson” and argued that Monken had already gotten more from the quarterback than Stefanski ever did. Ryan also said Watson looked like the version of himself from his Houston Texans days.
“He believes in this kid, Kevin Stefanski, great offensive coach, got zero out of Watson. This guy's already got more out of Deshaun Watson than Kevin Stefanski ever did.
Did he not look like the guy from Houston at the end there?” Rex Ryan said on ESPN's "Get Up."
Watson’s stat line against Carolina wasn’t flashy, but it was efficient enough to get the job done. He completed 16 of 30 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns, and he added 45 rushing yards on 11 carries.
The reaction from Browns fans added another layer to the day. Watson had been booed during the preseason, but on Sunday he heard a different sound: chants of his name. After the game, he said the moment hit him hard.
“It’s amazing, I mean it’s great. I just wanted to finish the job for ’em.
So, yeah, it was one moment I got a little teary-eyed. Just feeling that energy, you know, I put so much work to get back here, to be in this moment here.
To be able to show that I can finish these drives, finish these games, and get a W to the city, and this organization," Watson told reporters.
Watson has not played a full NFL season since 2020. He suffered an Achilles injury in 2024 and missed the entire 2025 season after he was re-injured during rehabilitation.
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The Browns are taking a clear line on their quarterback depth chart, and for now it does not include shopping either of their young passers. Even with Deshaun Watson still established as the starter, Cleveland is choosing to keep Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel in house, a sign the team still values having multiple options available behind its top quarterback.
In a league where injuries can turn a room upside down in a hurry, that approach makes sense from a roster-building standpoint. The Browns have watched other teams scramble for help at the position, but they are not treating that market as a reason to move either Sanders or Gabriel, preferring to keep both around as depth while the season takes shape. [Read more 🡒]
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Todd Monken May Already Be Changing Something In Cleveland
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What has drawn attention is the early coaching imprint Todd Monken appears to be leaving on the group. The article points to a possible shift in how Cleveland is being shaped offensively, even as the team turns quickly to the next challenge in Week 4. For a Browns team trying to stabilize its identity, the bigger question may be whether the changes already showing up can hold up once the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]