Browns coach Monken praises Watson's performance ahead of season opener

Deshaun Watson delivered one of his most effective outings since joining the Cleveland Browns, completing 24 of 30 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns while adding 22 rushing yards in a 23-19 win over Tampa Bay on Sunday. In a post-game video conference, head coach Todd Monken named Watson the team's offensive player of the game.

"I was happy for Deshaun. He made a number of plays with his legs. Played with confidence. He let it rip. You could see the difference from Week 1 to Week 2, and I think we’re just going to grow together," Monken said.

Monken confirmed that Watson will start in the Browns' home opener against Carolina on Sunday. He noted that while the quarterback position has been a topic of speculation, including the possibility of evaluating Shedeur Sanders, Watson's recent performance suggests continued improvement.

"Do I love dealing with it every week? Of course not. You guys keep asking, which is a lot of fun. But the reality is, of course — of course. And I’m happy for Deshaun, the way he’s played, and I expected improvement, and I expect continued improvement. There’s a lot of football left in him — he just hasn’t played in a while. Learning our system and getting consistent with his drops and reads is part of the process. I see him as a young player. I know people don’t want to see it that way, but I see him as still a very young player that is going to continue to grow," he added.

Although Watson is 31 and has been in the league since 2017, Monken emphasized his belief that the quarterback still has room to develop within Cleveland's system.