Todd Monken didn’t just defend Deshaun Watson after a rough Week 1 - he leaned all the way in.
The Cleveland Browns were blown out by the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-10, and Watson’s first start at quarterback since the 2024 season was a rough one. None of that was exactly shocking. What has caught attention is how hard Monken has gone in the other direction, repeatedly downplaying just how poor the outing was.
As a head coach, Monken can’t explode in public or toss his quarterback under the bus. But his comments have gone well past simple restraint. They’ve sounded detached from what everyone else saw.
After the game Sunday, Monken was asked whether Watson looked too cautious. He pushed back, saying, “He let that ball rip that was an interception.
He let it rip. He just didn't see him or the defender made a great play on it.“
That was only the start. On Monday, Monken said he “anticipates” Watson starting in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and tried to frame the performance as something with useful pieces to build on.
"There were some really good things on film, some things that you can build on, and there were some others that, operationally, we got to get better at. ... And even the touchdown at the end, sure, that was garbage time, but that was on their one corner.
That was one of their starters out there, and that was a communication between him and the receiver. So, there were a lot of things to build on.
Was it perfect? Of course not."
For Browns fans, that kind of spin is hard to swallow after the way Sunday went. The good moments were limited, and the late touchdown came with Jacksonville already in control.
Then came the quote that may have said the most about where Monken stands with his quarterback. Asked whether the locker room was 100% behind Watson as the starter, Monken replied:
"I don’t know, you’d have to ask every one of those guys. You said 100%, and really, to be honest, they don’t have a choice.
This isn’t a debate. I don’t ask the players every series what play we’re going to call, what play we’re going to call on defense.
Like, their job is to play, and our job to put the best player on the field that we think gives us a chance to win. And I love our guys.
But the moment we get into that, in terms of who this guy should be playing, what we’re doing, what we ought to be calling, we’ve lost. We’ve lost sight of the target, which is to own it and fix it and try like hell to get better."
That is a coach clearly trying to shield his quarterback. But there’s a line between protecting a player and pretending the problems aren’t obvious. Monken seems determined to keep Watson propped up, even if it means brushing past what the performance looked like to everyone else.
If Watson doesn’t play to a much higher standard, Monken’s loyalty could end up costing him credibility too. Right now, he looks like a coach willing to go down with the ship.
In Other News...
Browns Offense Had One Bright Spot Fans Should Notice After Week 1
Week 1 against Jacksonville did not give the Browns much to celebrate on offense, but the snap counts at least showed where the structure of the unit is headed. Cleveland leaned heavily on its offensive line, which was on the field for nearly every play, while Deshaun Watson had a few encouraging moments amid an otherwise sluggish day. The running back rotation and receiver usage were mixed, and the tight ends were barely involved, leaving a clear picture of an offense still searching for a rhythm.
For a team that came away with so little production, the encouraging part is that the alignment of the personnel suggests the Browns already know which pieces they trust most. The challenge now is turning that stability up front into something more functional everywhere else, because the passing game and the skill-position distribution left plenty of questions after the opener. The snap chart offered one useful clue, but it also hinted at how much work still sits ahead for Cleveland. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Could Give Shedeur Sanders A Familiar Option If QB Plans Change
Jimmy Horn Jr. is suddenly available, and that alone makes him a name worth tracking for a Browns team still sorting out its young skill positions. The former Carolina Panthers receiver was drafted in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, just after Cleveland took Shedeur Sanders, and the two already have built-in familiarity from their college days together at Colorado.
If the Browns decide to add more depth at wide receiver, Horn fits the profile of a low-cost, familiar option who could help a developing room. The connection becomes even more interesting if Sanders role changes and he ends up handling the offense, since Cleveland would then be looking not just for talent but for players who already know how to work alongside him. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Rookies Gave Fans One Reason To Watch After Week 1 Loss
The Browns opened on the road against the Jaguars with a first look at how several rookies might fit into the bigger picture, and there were at least a few encouraging signs amid the loss. Left tackle Spencer Fano had his hands full with the matchup, but he held up reasonably well for a young blocker, while wideouts KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston gave the offense some life with catches and a touchdown.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren also got into the mix on the back end, and right guard Austin Barber was another rookie who stood out in a way Cleveland can build on. Barber posted the highest offensive grade among Browns players in the game, which is the kind of early showing that can matter for a team trying to sort out which first-year players are ready to contribute right away. [Read more 🡒]