The 2026 NFL season opened with a thud for the Cleveland Browns, who suffered a thoroughly uninspiring 34-10 beatdown at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In a game where Jacksonville jumped out to a 31-0 lead before Cleveland even sniffed the scoreboard, the stark dynamic between a refined contender and a directionless rebuild was laid bare.
While the general sentiment surrounding the performance was bleak, a pair of bright spots surfaced in the trenches and out wide. Here are the studs and duds from Cleveland’s Week 1 opener.
The Studs
WR Denzel Boston
The final box score won't capture just how good Denzel Boston looked on Sunday. Finishing with just two receptions for 59 yards, Boston nevertheless looked every bit the part of a versatile, high-upside X wide receiver.
Denzel Boston's first NFL TD! 🏈
— PFF (@PFF) September 13, 2026
This is also Deshaun Watson's first TD pass since October 6, 2024. pic.twitter.com/DjLs91P8v3
He consistently created separation on the boundary, offering a reliable target on a day when the passing attack had virtually no rhythm. His defining moment came late in the fourth quarter as Deshaun Watson turned back time with a 46-yard pass into the endzone for Cleveland’s lone touchdown of the afternoon.
The raw numbers weren't eye-popping, but that was purely a product of a broken passing environment rather than any flaw in his execution. The foundation for a great receiver is clearly there.
DT Mason Graham
For years, the Cleveland defense belonged to Myles Garrett. With Garrett gone, the spotlight shifted to defensive tackle Mason Graham, and he seized it.
Mason Graham sacks Trevor Lawrence pic.twitter.com/AzMQ9yKH9E
— Fitz (@LaurieFitzptrck) September 13, 2026
Unlike his rookie season, in which his value had to be justified strictly through advanced metrics, Graham’s impact jumped off the film and directly onto the stat sheet. He looked like an actualized NFL starter today, and he’s only just getting started.
The Duds
HC Todd Monken
In his head coaching debut with the Browns, the 60-year-old rookie coach looked completely out of his depth compared to the sophomore head coach on the opposite sideline. Cleveland’s operation across all three phases was an unmitigated disaster.
The coaching gulf was highlighted late in the game when Jacksonville pulled Trevor Lawrence to hand snaps to Nick Mullens, turning the fourth quarter into a glorified walk-through. That mercy sub should serve as a deafening wake-up call to Monken and his staff.
QB Deshaun Watson
Expectations for Watson were already near the floor coming into the year, yet he somehow managed to dig into the basement.
DESHAUN WATSON INT ON THE OPENING DRIVE 😳
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) September 13, 2026
(via: @NFL) pic.twitter.com/kXKHwLap5C
The afternoon began with an interception, setting an ugly tone that never shifted. Watson spent the rest of the day dropping eight yards deep into the pocket, holding onto the ball indefinitely, and inviting avoidable sacks that killed drive after drive.
His lack of field vision, pocket awareness, and mechanical discipline proved once again that he is simply not operating like a professional NFL quarterback. The quicker he comes to terms with reality and steps away from the game, the better off the franchise will be.
Edge Jared Verse
Entering Year 3, the expectation for a player of Jared Verse’s pedigree, especially one tied to the franchise-altering Myles Garrett trade, is to take a major leap from pressure and potential to dominant production.
What we got instead was a complete side character on Sunday. Verse failed to record a single pressure, much less a QB hit or sack.
While the story of his career thus far was told by advanced metrics, high-pressure rates, and "almost" plays, raw production matters in Year 3. If this is the player that shows up the rest of the year, we are going to have a long conversation about his pending extension.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Week 1 Studs and Duds: Browns drop opener in their usual fashion
