Chad Ochocinco believes Deshaun Watson may have only three games to prove he should remain the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback. After head coach Todd Monken named Watson QB1 for Week 1, Ochocinco said on Nightcap that Cleveland could turn to Shedeur Sanders if things go badly early. He pointed specifically to the Browns’ third game, saying a quarterback change could come before Week 4.
Chad Ochocinco sets a Week 4 warning for Deshaun Watson
The Browns will begin the 2026 regular season with Watson against the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 13.Cleveland then travels to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before returning home to play the Carolina Panthers in Week 3. That third game is the one Ochocinco believes could become a major test for Watson.Speaking on Nightcap, Ochocinco said he had already expected Watson to get the first chance because of his contract. The quarterback signed a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed deal with Cleveland in 2022, making the decision a major financial commitment for the Browns.“I said it before preseason started, when they went to training camp, it’s Deshaun Watson’s (starting job) to lose,” Ochocinco said. “So, they’re gonna allow him to start, and they had two games on the road. I’m not sure what’s gonna happen with those two games, hoping he looks the part. But if he doesn’t, that first home game, the third game of the season, if it’s not going well, at that point a change will be made.”He then made his prediction even more direct.“Mark my words, I haven’t been wrong yet. … If the third game does not go the way it should, a change will be made going into Week 4. I’m telling you right now ahead of time.”That would put Shedeur Sanders in the middle of the conversation. The Browns have not said they plan to make such a change, and Monken has stressed that naming Watson the starter was not meant to be a week-to-week decision. NFL.com reported that Watson and Sanders will both sit out Cleveland’s preseason finale against the New England Patriots.
Deshaun Watson’s Browns preseason numbers add pressure
Watson’s preseason has not made the situation any easier. Through two games, he has completed 16 of 27 passes for 162 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception.He went 11-for-15 for 126 yards against the Chicago Bears, then completed only 5 of 12 passes for 36 yards and an interception against the Buffalo Bills.The Bills loss also brought boos from Browns fans, adding more attention to Watson’s return. He has played only 19 games for Cleveland since joining the team in 2022 and missed the entire 2025 season after a re-rupture of his right Achilles tendon.For now, Watson remains the Browns’ QB1. But if Ochocinco’s prediction proves right, the Week 3 meeting with Carolina could become much more important than a normal home opener.
