The Cleveland Browns enter Week 2 with major questions surrounding Deshaun Watson. After a poor showing in Cleveland’s 34-10 loss to Jacksonville, Watson now faces the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with his starting job under growing scrutiny.

Watson completed 16 of 22 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw an interception, took five sacks, and struggled to move the offense. He nearly committed additional turnovers, while Cleveland managed only one first down during the first half.

Now, Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports has taken the speculation a step further. In his “It Wouldn’t Shock Me If” series, Sullivan suggested Watson could lose his job during the game if his struggles continue.

“It wouldn't shock me if ... Deshaun Watson is benched in-game vs. Bucs. If he continues to struggle and those almost-turnovers turn into actual turnovers while Baker Mayfield is slinging it around the yard against his former team, it's the perfect storm for Todd Monken to make an in-game switch and have Shedeur Sanders come in as Watson watches from the bench.”

The scenario would put Monken in an extremely difficult position. Watson needs to protect the football and produce, while Sanders remains ready for his opportunity.

Deshaun Watson’s Complaints Draw Stephen A. Smith’s Wrath

Watson recently defended his Week 1 performance, pointing to his completion numbers and the limited number of outright mistakes. He also expressed frustration with the media focusing heavily on his football performance.

That drew a fierce response from Stephen A. Smith, who called Deshaun Watson’s play “awful” before taking particular issue with his complaints about football criticism. Smith argued that Watson should embrace the fact that the current conversation centers on his play.

Cleveland has already shown patience with Watson, with Monken ultimately keeping him as QB1 for Week 2. However, another poor performance against Tampa Bay could create a situation where the Browns have to seriously consider making a change.

Written by

Joseph Nithin