Browns’ latest signing adds intrigue to Watson, Sanders situation

Numerous members of the NFL community believe that first-year Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken could bench quarterback Deshaun Watson in favor of second-year pro Shedeur Sanders either during or after Cleveland’s Week 2 game at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this coming Sunday. 

A Thursday transaction completed by the Browns likely won’t silence chatter about Monken possibly making a quarterback change. 

Browns give one of their quarterbacks an old friend

As shared by Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk and others, multiple Thursday morning reports revealed that the Browns are signing wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. to their practice squad. Horn was surprisingly released by the Carolina Panthers after he muffed a second-quarter punt in Carolina’s 59-37 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sept. 13. He entered that contest as Carolina’s primary kickoff and punt returner.

It’s unclear whether Horn could play for the Browns against the Buccaneers, but it is worth noting that Cleveland’s home opener on Sept. 27 is against none other than the Panthers. That said, Simmons and others also pointed out that Horn and Sanders were teammates at the University of Colorado during the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

According to Cade Cracas of Sports Illustrated, Horn recorded 1,008 receiving yards and seven touchdowns across those two seasons.

Will Jimmy Horn Jr. catch passes thrown by Shedeur Sanders in Week 3? 

A Wednesday report claimed that executives “around the league…believe that by the time the Browns play their home opener in Week 3, Watson will be benched.” While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Monken did not guarantee that a healthy Watson will be Cleveland’s QB1 for the Carolina game. 

Browns fans clearly rattled Watson when they booed him during a home preseason game that happened before he passed for just 100 yards with an interception through the first three quarters of Cleveland’s 34-10 Week 1 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 13. Fair or not, the perception exists that either Monken or Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam may need to bench Watson as a way to appease supporters if the signal-caller produces yet another flop against the Buccaneers.