Deshaun Watson won the starting quarterback job for the Cleveland Browns this year. Watson was dreadful in the first weekend of the NFL season, but he will still get the start in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

If Watson struggles again, he could find himself on the bench, according to Ian Rapoport of ESPN.

“The reality is that Watson will help inform the decision moving forward with his play Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If Watson plays well and leads Cleveland to a victory, the Browns have an easy decision. If it does not go well for Watson in a loss, a change could be coming,” Rapoport reported.

If Watson is shown the bench, it will likely be Shedeur Sanders to be the next man up. The team also has Taylen Green on the roster, plus Dillon Gabriel on IR. The Browns need to figure out if they have their franchise quarterback on the roster. The Browns have multiple first-round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft, which is loaded with quality quarterbacks.

Watson completed 16 of 22 passes against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He passed for 205 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He was also sacked five times in the game, with all of them due to Watson holding onto the ball too long and not bad protecting from the offensive line.

Sanders got multiple starts last season. He completed 120 of 212 passes in 2025 for 1,400 yards. He has seven touchdowns, but also threw ten interceptions. The Browns and Buccaneers kick off at 1 pm ET on Sunday.