The Browns' locker room is against Deshaun Watson: “They're sick of this charade; it shows a lack of leadership”
Cleveland suffered a heavy defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars in their NFL opener
Frustration over Deshaun Watson appears to be spreading inside the Cleveland Browns locker room, with one unnamed general manager questioning the quarterback’s commitment as his future grows uncertain. Watson returned to regular-season action in Week 1 after missing the entire 2025 NFL season, but the Browns were overwhelmed in a 34-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars , leaving little room for patience.
Jason La Canfor a reported September 16 that an unnamed NFL general manager offered a blunt assessment of the quarterback's approach: “Watson will keep playing like s**t to see how fast they’ll pull him. He’s calling their bluff.” La Canfora also cited “numerous league sources” who remain unnamed but claimed the locker room is “already over this stunt,” adding that players are tired of the “constant drama.” The sources added, “there is no leadership coming from Watson at all at this point”, as he completed 16 of 22 passes for 205 yards, one touchdown and one interception against the Jaguars . That seems respectable on paper, but Cleveland produced only 95 net yards and five first downs in the opening half before falling 31-0 behind, meaning the majority of the stats came in “garbage time” as Jacksonville simply managed the score. Watson ’s lone touchdown came on a 46-yard pass to Denzel Boston with 1:52 remaining, long after Liam Coen ’s team had taken control and essentially won the game. Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars offense consistently found ways to move the ball against the defense to create a rather hopeless situation for the Browns , and with that in mind, head coach Todd Monken has continued to back Watson ahead of Week 2. The Browns may stick with him against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , but another poor performance would intensify calls about whether a change is needed Cleveland ’s Week 3 game against the Carolina Panthers .
Browns receive defensive boost ahead of Tampa Bay clash
On the other side of the ball, Cleveland received encouraging news with the revelation that cornerback Tyson Campbell returned to practice Friday after missing Thursday with an ankle injury. His availability for Sunday, September 20 was still to be determined but the defensive backs coach Brandon Lynch sounded positive, although he identified Noah Igbinoghene , Mekhi Blackmon and Myles Harden as potential options. Campbell has started 13 games for Cleveland since arriving in a midseason trade last season and impressed again against the Jaguars as he recorded seven tackles in the season opener. With Campbell and Denzel Ward forming a pairing the franchise believes can rank among the NFL ’s best, it’s imperative the Browns fix their offense to avoid wasting such a strong duo on their defense.
