After suffering a 27-6 blowout loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cleveland Browns slipped to third in the AFC North. Deshaun Watson did little to help his team’s cause, failing to score a touchdown as Cleveland struggled offensively.

Still, the Browns are 5-3, a significant improvement from their 5-12 finish last season. With the team showing signs of progress, Watson has a chance to be part of that turnaround. But he’ll need to do enough over the rest of the season to convince Cleveland he’s worth keeping around, according to Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot.

Mary Kay Cabot Explains What Deshaun Watson Must Do To Help His Case

According to a passage shared by “The Dawgs” podcast, Cabot said a playoff appearance with Watson as the starter would give the Browns more reason to consider bringing him back next year.

“If Watson continues to win and leads the Browns to the playoffs, he’ll strengthen his case for returning next season. But the season is young, and the Browns have no urgency to make any decisions at this point,” Cabot wrote.

Watson is in the final season of the fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract he signed after arriving from Houston in 2022. After multiple Achilles surgeries and a lost 2025 season, simply getting back on the field was already a significant step.

But his fourth-quarter performances gave Cleveland another reason to keep watching.

Watson helped the Browns reach 5-2, leading a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter of each of their five victories. Against Tennessee, he threw for 308 yards and helped set up Andre Szmyt for the winning field goal in a 27-24 victory.

Still, his contract remains a major part of the conversation. Former Browns cornerback Joe Haden recently questioned whether Cleveland has gotten enough in return for its massive investment in the quarterback.

Haden also argued that rather than paying Watson more than $40 million per year, the team could use that money to bring in another playmaker next year, while evaluating second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders or even rookie Taylen Green as potential starters.

“We still haven’t seen Shedeur with the [right] weapons and a coach who has his back. Now, we got Taylen Green too. Dude’s fast, young,” Haden said.

Cabot also said the Browns have been pleased with Sanders’ development, even if he doesn’t get much playing time this season.

“As for evaluating Sanders this season as their possible quarterback of the future, the Browns are grading him every day in practice, and have been very happy with his progress,” she wrote. “Even if he doesn’t get to play much, or at all, this season, they still feel like they have a good handle on his development and are optimistic about his upside.”

Watson currently ranks No. 22 in the league with a PFN QB Impact Score of 70.1. He was also sacked eight times against the Steelers, making it a difficult outing for the quarterback.

While one poor performance doesn’t erase what Watson has done in the Browns’ wins, it gives the team more reason to hold off on making a decision about his future.

With Shedeur Sanders also developing behind him, Watson will need to give Cleveland a compelling reason to stick with him beyond this season.