Former Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is heading into his fifth season with the Cleveland Browns, and he may be barreling toward starting for the first time in nearly two years during the 2026 campaign.
Houston’s decision to move on from Watson has proven prudent many times over, but they remain inextricably linked to the controversial three-time Pro Bowler.
Meanwhile, Watson is hoping to finally regain the form that once made him a worthwhile target.
Ex-Texans QB Deshaun Watson Drawing Significant Attention
GettyDeshaun Watson is making a significant impression during the early going of the offseason program.
Watson, whom the Texans selected 12th overall during the 2017 draft, has played in 19 games for the Browns due to multiple injuries. That includes re-rupturing his Achilles tendon in January 2025, which required surgery and ended his season.
This offseason, the Browns are among the teams going through offseason workouts thanks to hiring new head coach Todd Monken.
Watson has impressed.
ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Rizzo noted in a conversation with Tony Grossi on April 27 that he “heard Deshaun took the majority of snaps on Wednesday when you guys were not allowed to watch practice, and he looked phenomenal.”
To that, Grossi said, “Well, he took the majority of snaps on Tuesday, and he looked pretty good, too. The question of can he stay healthy, okay?”
Watson’s performance when healthy with the Browns has left plenty to be desired.
He has completed 61.2% of his passes for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions with a 9-10 record. Watson is also in the final year of his oft-criticized five-year, $230 million contract. He will be on the Browns’ books at no less than $36 million in 2027 and $51.5 millionn in 2028.
From that standpoint, it certainly makes sense for the Browns to give Watson every opportunity to prove that he can come close to the QB that he was with the Texans.
Deshaun Watson Sends Strong Message
GettyFormer Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is ready to battle for the starting job.
For the first time since his rookie season with the Texans, Watson is competing for the starting job. He faces three challengers in Cleveland: 2025 draft picks Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders, and 2026 selection Taylen Green.
Watson notably served as a willing mentor to Gabriel and Sanders last season.
In light of what is expected to be a legitimate competition, Watson let it be known that he plans to battle.
“‘Prepare for war in times of peace!’ – Denzel Washington,” Watson captioned his latest workout video on Instagram on April 25, adding “Sword steady being sharpened,” a “100” emoji, and his signature “4OVE.”
Asked if he saw any sort of rust from Watson after the long layoff, Monken said, “No.”
Monken was openly excited about getting to work with Watson. He has touted the ex-Texans star’s Pro Bowl pedigree, and he remained upbeat when speaking about the current version.
“Ball’s coming out great. Looks great,” Monken told reporters on April 21. “I I haven’t seen [any rust]. I can’t get into his body to know how his body felt today, but he moved around great, and the ball came out great.”
Still, Watson is not guaranteed to start, so the former Texans QB has work to do yet.
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