NFL Insider: Cleveland Browns Have ‘Horrendous Vibes All Around’

The Cleveland Browns weren't very competitive last season, but general manager Andrew Berry has been building this roster up for a few years now. The hope is that first-year head coach Todd Monken can spark a change that leads to more wins after Kevin Stefanski mustered just five in 2025.

Yet, after losing 34-10, it's clear that Week 1 wasn't the start that the Browns were looking for. Starting quarterback Deshaun Watson didn't perform any better in Monken's offense than he did under coach Stefanski, and after moving on from Jim Schwartz, the defense looks even worse. Now, as one NFL insider says, the vibes in Cleveland are "horrendous."

No one really expected the Browns to beat a Jaguars team that won 13 games a season ago in Week 1. Still, after revamping the offense, there was hope that a new coach could lead an inspired effort, much like the ones witnessed in Arizona , Baltimore , and New York. Yet, that's not what happened in Cleveland.

Now, as ESPN's Dan Graziano suggests, the Browns "aren't going anywhere with Watson," and he doesn't think things will improve in Cleveland until the organization admits that.

"It's hard for me to be surprised when someone who insists on starting Watson at quarterback in 2026 doesn't have success. There are some things to like about Cleveland's roster, and I believe Monken knows how to coach, but the Browns aren't going anywhere with Watson. Until they admit that and make a change, I don't see how things can improve. Just horrendous vibes all the way around."

It's hard to envision how things get much better from here. But then again, it was just one game. Now Watson and the Browns have a chance to head back to the drawing board after breaking down the film. In an ideal world, they'll identify ways they can improve and make the necessary changes. If not, it's only a matter of time before Shedeur Sanders gets another opportunity to be the starter.