REPORT: Browns Already Looking at QB Replacement For Jaguars Matchup?

The Jacksonville Jaguars will play the Cleveland Browns in Week 2, but which quarterback will they face?

Aug 17, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston (5) warms up before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images / Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns struggled mightily in their season opener against the Dallas Cowboys, a 33-17 defeat. The quarterback play from Deshaun Watson was objectively poor.

ESPN ranked Watson 32nd among all quarterbacks Week 1 in quarterback rating (QBR). Watson was had a 9.3 rating. Watson was 24 of 45 for 169 yards and two interceptions. He took six sacks.

ESPN's Dan Graziano already thinks that head coach Kevin Stefanski should consider turning to backup Jameis Winston, as reported by Clutch Points.

"Deshaun Watson looked really bad against the Cowboys," Graziano said. "Even when he had time or was able to find enough space to throw, he was missing badly. ... "Cleveland has put together an excellent roster (especially once its offensive line gets healthy) and has hopes of competing at the highest level. The Browns overhauled their entire offensive philosophy this offseason in the hopes of making Watson's life easier and getting the best out of him. "If he's not at least decent, they have a massive problem. And he was a long way from decent, as Watson's 9.3 QBR was the worst in the league for Week 1."

Jeremy Fowler, also of ESPN, pumped the breaks on the idea of benching Watson so soon.

"I don't think we're quite there. To at least think about Winston over the course of the season? Possibly, because teams must consider every contingency," Fowler said. "But the Browns should -- and probably will -- give Watson a healthy run to fix this. While I agree that Sunday's performance was unsettling, the Browns were playing without their top two offensive tackles and the Cowboys' defense was stifling. There's no way around it: Watson hasn't looked like the same quarterback who starred for the Texans from 2017 to 2020. He has 2,386 passing yards in 13 games in Cleveland. The signatures of his game in Houston -- poise and brilliant playmaking under duress -- have been weaknesses in Cleveland."

Adding to Watson's poor performance is his baggage. On Tuesday, the Associated Press reported that Watson was facing a civil lawsuit regarding a sexual assault allegation. The alleged incident occurred in 2020 and the NFL is investigating the situation.

Watson is slated to start Sunday, but his days as a starter could be numbered.

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