Deshaun Watson in the spotlight following his clash with Cleveland fans

Deshaun Watson has spent much of the NFL offseason insisting that outside noise won't define his return. Cleveland may be about to test that claim in a way practice never could.

The Browns quarterback is expected to be back at Huntington Bank Field with the Buffalo Bills visiting for a preseason game, and local radio host Ken Carman believes the crowd reaction could be jarring.

“He’s about to get a taste of real Cleveland coming up here on Saturday,” Carman said on The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima on 92.3 The Fan.

That warning came after Watson dismissed concern over being booed, saying he doesn't care. His history with the fan base suggests the reaction could be impossible to ignore.

The last time Watson played at home was in October 2024, when he suffered a season-ending Achilles injury against the Cincinnati Bengals . He was booed as he left the field, and sections of the crowd have continued to make their feelings clear since then.

Why Browns fans remain angry with Watson

The frustration is rooted in much more than one bad season.

Cleveland traded a huge package, including three first-round picks, to acquire Watson from the Houston Texans in 2022. The franchise then gave him a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract.

Since then, his availability has been limited. Watson missed the first 11 games of 2022 because of an NFL suspension tied to allegations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions. Criminal charges were not filed, but the league suspended him and fined him $5 million.

He then played only six games in 2023 and seven in 2024 before the Achilles injury wiped out his 2025 season. Anthony Lima believes that gap between investment and production is what will fuel the response inside the stadium.

“It might be like culture shock to him,” Lima said. “He’s not getting booed every day in his world. It’s going to be different when he takes the field.”

Shedeur Sanders makes atmosphere more combustible

The quarterback competition has only sharpened the scrutiny.

Many Browns fans have rallied around Shedeur Sanders , while NFL reporter Jason La Canfora has argued that the job has never truly been an even contest.

“The Browns still haven’t declared a starter, but I’m going to let you in on a little secret,” La Canfora said. “Deshaun Watson was always going to be their starting quarterback, unless he got hurt. There’s about 240 million reasons why.”

Watson also helped himself in preseason, completing 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards against the Chicago Bears . Sanders went 6 of 11 for 79 yards with an interception.

Still, Todd Monken has continued to evaluate both quarterbacks publicly.

That makes Saturday important for reasons beyond the depth chart. Watson has said the boos don't matter. Cleveland is about to give him the clearest possible chance to prove it.