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Deshaun Watson has faced no shortage of criticism since his return to the Cleveland Browns. Now, a rookie quarterback is ensuring that the veteran knows he has someone in his corner. Sixth-round draft pick Taylen Green came out publicly defending Watson after the Browns selected him as their starting quarterback for Week 1 despite the QB still having to face fan frustration and speculation regarding his future. For Green, however, the situation is quite clear: Watson is part of the quarterback group, so he supports him. Taylen Green Defends Deshaun Watson at Browns QB Despite Green yet to throw a single snap in the Browns’ preseason games, that did not stop the rookie from sticking up for his QB. Watson was booed by portions of the crowd at the Browns’ home preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, only to be criticized further after the poor performance. Watson later admitted that his emotions got the better of him but took a different stance when discussing the frustrations of the fans. Green, however, is not interested in piling onto his teammate. “He’s one of our QBs so I’m always going to have his back … He’s going to give it all he has and I’m right there with him. Anything that I can do to help him and help the QB room, I’m going to do that.” Browns rookie QB Taylen Green on Deshaun Watson: "He's one of our QBs so I'm always going to have his back … He's going to give it all he has and I'm right there with him. Anything that I can do to help him and help the QB room, I'm going to do that." (via @MaryKayCabot)… — Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) August 25, 2026 That support comes at an important moment for Watson. The Browns committed a fully guaranteed $230M to him in 2022; however, injuries have limited him to just 19 regular-season starts with the Browns. After missing all of 2025 while recovering from a second Achilles surgery, Watson entered training camp competing with Shedeur Sanders for the starting job. He ultimately won it. Sanders will open the season as Watson’s backup, while Dillion Gabriel and Green remain further down the depth chart. That makes Thursday’s preseason finale particularly important for Green; he will start against the New England Patriots. Neither Watson nor Sanders will play, giving Green his first opportunity to show the coaching staff what he can do in a game, and there is no guarantee he makes the 53-man roster. That reality makes Green’s comments even more interesting. He knows his own NFL future is still being decided, yet he is already thinking about helping the quarterback room rather than treating Watson as competition. For Watson, the pressure won’t disappear because the Browns named him QB1. He still has to prove he can stay healthy and deliver; however, at least inside the Browns’ QB room, the veteran has found an unlikely supporter willing to stand beside him. Related reading: Why the Miami Dolphins Have the ‘Shakiest’ WR Group