Browns are going with Deshaun Watson for Week 1

As of Saturday, it seemed as if the Browns could never put quarterback Deshaun Watson in uniform again. As of Sunday, the vibe dramatically changed.

Coach Todd Monken wasn't troubled by the incessant booing of Watson during the Week 2 preseason game against the Bills, nor by Watson's postgame remarks about his irreparable relationship with Browns fans.

The news has leaked. The Browns will ride with Watson for Week 1.

As suggested on Sunday, Monken may be willing to give Watson a two-week audition, since both games will be played on the road. If the Browns win both and Watson plays well, the fans may be far more welcoming if/when Watson returns to Cleveland with a 2-0 record and a possible 3-0 start within reach against the Panthers.

It's a big "if." The Browns face the Jaguars in Jacksonville and the Buccaneers in Tampa. And Cleveland hasn't started 2-0 since 1993, when the current Browns were a twinkle in the eye of the eventual legal settlement that allowed the former Browns to become the Ravens.

Our guess? Even if it's Watson for Week 1, it'll likely be Shedeur Sanders by Week 3. If not, things could get even uglier in Cleveland than they were during the last game the Browns/Ravens played there.