Deshaun Watson is already on the kind of leash that can snap fast, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a shot to be the ones who pull it.
Watson opened the season with a rough night in a 34-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, a game that started with an interception on the first drive and ended with him taking five sacks. That’s the kind of line that gets attention in September, and it has him squarely in danger as Cleveland heads into Week 2 against Tampa Bay.
The Browns’ quarterback situation was never settled in a comfortable way. Watson edged out Shedeur Sanders in the offseason competition, but there was never much room for error.
Now, with Cleveland staring at a possible 0-2 start, Sunday feels like a real turning point. If Watson struggles again, it could be hard to imagine the Browns sending him back out for their Week 3 home opener against Carolina.
“I definitely think that Mayfield and the Bucs could be the team that finally ends the Deshaun Watson era in Cleveland,” said Ryan O’Leary, who covers the Browns for Dawg Pound Daily.
“Watson looked bad in the preseason, and his Week 1 performance against Jacksonville was brutal. If he puts up another stinker in Tampa Bay, there’s no way the Browns can send Watson on the field for the Week 3 home opener against Carolina. That would be an ugly scene.”
There’s also plenty of history wrapped up in this matchup. Cleveland went after Watson while Baker Mayfield was still on the roster, and that move helped trigger an ugly split between Mayfield and the Browns. Now Mayfield is the Buccaneers’ franchise quarterback, while Watson is trying to hold onto his job in Cleveland.
The contrast is hard to miss. Five seasons later, Mayfield has settled in Tampa Bay, and Watson is 9-11 as the Browns starter. Cleveland still hasn’t found a quarterback as effective as Mayfield since he left after the 2022 season.
Watson’s relationship with Browns fans has been strained for a while, and the atmosphere around him has only gotten more tense. He has already dealt with boos, and he said after one game, "It has nothing to do about the performance.
It's a little bit personal than that. It's a disrespectful thing."
"Last time I played on this field, I tore my Achilles. And that same fan base cheered when I got hurt."
If Tampa Bay can hand Cleveland another loss and Watson another ugly performance, the Buccaneers may end up delivering the final blow to his run as the Browns’ QB1.
In Other News...
Warren Sapp Lands In An Awkward Off-Field Tampa Scene
Warren Sapp found himself in an uncomfortable off-field scene in Tampa this week, drawing attention at a City Council meeting tied to a flood-prevention project. Council chairman Alan Clendenin and Tampa Police intervened after Sapp was allegedly causing a disturbance, and the council asked that he be trespassed for the day.
Sapp said he was at City Hall only to pick up paperwork and disputed the authority to remove him from the public building. It was the sort of public dustup that has little to do with football, but for a former Buccaneers star still known around Tampa, it was enough to put his name back in the local spotlight for all the wrong reasons. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Head Into Home Opener With One Lineup Concern Still Lingering
The Buccaneers are heading into their home opener with a little more clarity on the roster, thanks in part to another look at safety Ifeatu Melifonwu. Tampa Bay elevated Melifonwu from the practice squad for its Week 2 matchup, giving the secondary another option as the team sorts through a handful of injury questions on the eve of its first game at Raymond James Stadium.
Miles Killebrew, Jacob Parrish and Jalen McMillan all landed on the questionable list, leaving at least one lineup spot worth watching as kickoff approaches. Sean Tucker is expected back after sitting out Week 1, but Melifonwu remains part of the subtext here too: he was active last week without getting into the game, and this elevation also leaves Tampa Bay with one more practice squad call-up available later in the season. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Rookie WR Suddenly Has A Week 2 Opportunity Fans Will Notice
Ted Hurst III made a quiet but useful first impression in his debut, catching all three of his targets for 36 yards and showing the kind of steadiness Tampa Bays staff has already noticed in practice. General manager Jason Licht has also pointed to Hursts consistency behind the scenes, a sign that the rookie wideout is not just hanging around for developmental reps but is already carving out a place in the Buccaneers plans this season.
Now comes a chance to turn that early trust into something more visible. With Week 2 bringing Cleveland to town, Hurst is positioned for another opportunity to contribute, and it will be worth watching how the Bucs continue to work him into the offense as the year gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]