Watson throws 126 yards in Browns' 34-10 preseason loss — SkimNews
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- Deshaun Watson completed 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards in the first half, leading two scoring drives — the only points Cleveland scored in a 34-10 preseason loss to Chicago.
- Todd Monken called Watson's first game back "awesome," saying he "functioned at a high level" and was "having fun," while acknowledging a strip-sack turnover and a delay-of-game timeout.
- Watson has played just 19 games for Cleveland since being traded there in March 2022, missing the entire 2025 season after a second Achilles surgery in January 2025.
- Shedeur Sanders went 6 of 11 for 79 yards with one interception after starting the third quarter, and Dillon Gabriel went 5 of 8 for 23 yards with an interception — three total turnovers across the Browns' quarterbacks.
- Monken announced Sanders will start the second preseason game against Buffalo next Saturday, with Watson and Sanders splitting first-team reps at joint practices Thursday.
Why it matters: Watson is actively competing with Sanders for Cleveland's starting job, and he has played only 19 games since his March 2022 trade because of suspension and two Achilles surgeries — so every preseason snap doubles as a physical durability test for the franchise's quarterback commitment. Three turnovers across the QB room in one game underscores how thin that margin remains heading into joint practices with Buffalo.
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