The Browns walked out of Week 1 with a 34-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, a result that looked even uglier before a last-minute garbage-time touchdown trimmed the margin from what could have been 34-3. And even after that beatdown, the team is doubling down on Deshaun Watson.
Todd Monken kept Watson in place as the starting quarterback for Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a call that has drawn plenty of criticism. ESPN’s Dan Graziano was especially blunt, taking aim at the Browns’ direction and the decision to keep rolling with Watson.
“It’s hard for me to be surprised when someone who insists on starting Watson at quarterback in 2026 doesn’t have success,” Graziano writes of Monken. “There are some things to like about Cleveland’s roster, and I believe Monken knows how to coach, but the Browns aren’t going anywhere with Watson.”
Graziano didn’t stop there. He added, “Until they admit that and make a change, I don’t see how things can improve. Just horrendous vibes all the way around.”
That kind of language lands like a hammer, and it points directly at Monken’s insistence on keeping Watson in the job despite what the source material describes as a clear lack of upside. The Browns are sending Watson back out for Week 2, and Graziano made it clear he sees little reason for optimism as long as that remains the plan.
The frustration around Watson is also tied to the fan base, which has already turned sharply against him. With that tension hanging over the team, the outlook looks bleak from the outside, and Graziano’s read was as harsh as it was direct.
Until Cleveland makes a switch - whether to Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, or even Taylen Green - the vibe around this team, as Graziano put it, is going to stay horrendous.
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Still, this is the kind of rumor that feels more logical on paper than in practice. The Jaguars have already brushed aside trade chatter, and Thomas is the sort of player they would be expected to build around rather than move, especially with his contract and standing on the roster. So while Baltimores need is real, the path to an actual deal looks steep, and for Jaguars fans, the better news may be that this is one of those speculative links that is easy to write and much harder to turn into anything concrete. [Read more 🡒]
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Jaguars Suddenly Have A New Edge Concern Heading Into Week 2
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For a defense that needs as many available bodies on the edge as possible, Greens absence changes the calculation a bit, even before the Jaguars get to Sundays game plan. The Broncos are carrying their own concern list, with Harvey and Mims both missing practice because of injuries, and their status will be one more thing to watch as Jacksonville tries to manage its front seven heading into the matchup. [Read more 🡒]