During preseason Week 1, Deshaun Watson finally returned to the football field against the Chicago Bears. It marked his first appearance for the Cleveland Browns since he tore his Achilles against the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 20, 2024. And the veteran quarterback wasted little time making his presence felt.
That performance also caught former defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko’s attention. However, while Fehoko liked what he saw from Watson, he also took a sharp shot at Cleveland’s rushing attack with an Angel Reese analogy.
Breiden Fehoko Praises Deshaun Watson, Criticizes Browns’ RB Room
During a recent conversation with Jason Whitlock, Fehoko weighed in on the Browns’ quarterback competition involving Watson and Shedeur Sanders.
He praised Watson’s command but quickly pointed toward the offense’s biggest weakness.
“I thought Deshaun Watson played very well,” Fehoko said. “I thought he had some stability at the quarterback position. When you watch him and when you watch the whole Cleveland Browns offense in totality, they started behind the chains, Jason. They had no run game. It was non-existent, like Angel Reese’s shot.”
Fehoko’s Reese comparison came from the WNBA star’s struggles around the basket. Reese has converted fewer than 48% of her attempts from within five feet, despite taking most of her shots from that range.
However, her misses often create plenty of self-rebounding chances.
Still, Fehoko’s larger point focused on Cleveland’s offense and the stability Watson could provide while the Browns search for better balance.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator
“As I’m watching these things unfold, I’m looking at Deshaun Watson move his offense and stay along the chains. As a quarterback, and especially as a head coach from that perspective, as I’m Todd Monken, and I’m looking at this team, and I’m saying, ‘Okay, we’re not in a Super Bowl picture this year, but I need something that’s going to be a good product.’ And I think Deshaun Watson gives them that.”
Early in the game, the veteran quarterback looked comfortable and moved the ball efficiently. He completed 8-of-9 passes for 102 yards while posting a 113.9 passer rating in the first quarter. Watson eventually finished with 126 passing yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions.
He also carried the ball three times for four yards before a strip-sack ended one possession.
START PREPARING: PFN’s Free Fantasy Draft Simulator
Head coach Todd Monken also liked the way Watson handled himself during the game.
“It was so cool to watch him play…” Monken said. “He was having fun today. That is so cool, and I thought he really functioned at a high level. Certainly, we don’t wanna be taking timeouts; we sure as heck can’t take delay of games. But it was fun watching him play and watching us put the next step forward and see where we’re at.”
Cleveland’s other quarterbacks struggled to match Watson’s performance.
Sanders completed six of 11 attempts for 79 yards and threw an interception. Dillon Gabriel, another quarterback from the same draft class, also received an opportunity to make his case. However, he struggled as well, completing five of eight passes for only 23 yards with an interception to boot.
Cleveland eventually fell 34-10, but Watson gave the Browns a reason to reconsider the quarterback picture. Now, the pressure shifts to Sanders when his opportunity arrives later this week.
