Deshaun Watson is feeling the wrath of the Cleveland Browns fans. (AP photo)

CLEVELAND (AP) — Someone taped signs on Hall of Famer Jim Brown’s statue outside the Cleveland Browns ‘ stadium criticizing the team for having quarterback Deshaun Watson on its roster because of his checkered past.

Coach Todd Monken announced Monday that Watson, who was booed at home in Saturday’s 31-7 loss to Buffalo in a preseason game, will enter the season as the starting quarterback. Watson, making his first appearance in 22 months because of a ruptured Achilles tendon, lashed out at the fans afterward and called the booing “personal.”

Watson, Monken said, is not expected to play in tonight’s preseason finale here vs. the New England Patriots.

Watson’s presence in Cleveland has been controversial since he signed a guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract in 2022.

He was suspended the first 11 games of that season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. More than two dozen women accused Watson of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions.

Watson also was fined $5 million and force to undergo an evaluation before he could be reinstated.

One of the signs posted on Brown’s statue read:

“$280,000,000

27+ VICTIMS

ZERO SUPPORTERS”

Another sign called Watson’s presence on the team “PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE CITY & FRANCHISE.”

PATRIOTS REGULARS UNLIKELY TO PLAY

On Monday in his final media availability until after tonight’s game, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said he hadn’t made a decision on whether any regular starters would play.

But given the fact it’s the final preseason game, it’s unlikely that would happen — despite the fact players like Drake Maye have not played all preseason. Instead they’ve seen lots of time in joint practices with the Colts and Eagles. The final preseason game is usually for players fighting to make the 53-man roster. Final cuts are due by late Sunday afternoon.

Vrabel says the fact the Patriots open up on a Wednesday (in two weeks) doesn’t play into the decision on who plays tonight.

“I mean, I think whether we played Sunday or Wednesday, I don’t think that really would factor into it,” he said. “I think it factors into just, are we getting the work that we need, and then however you just back it out from the normal – the start date on Wednesday.

“For example, I think the Friday before becomes a Tuesday, and we just kind of live in Sunday to Sunday world. So, when you play on a Wednesday, you just kind of adjust everything back from there.”

In any event, Vrabel wants to get something out of the preseason.

“Whenever the game is, the situation, preseason, regular season, we just have to make sure that we have a plan and that we’re trying to do everything that we can to get the most out of those games and certainly win them. And I think that that was clearly obvious and evident from the way that our guys played, certainly in the second half, on Saturday. I thought guys, they really responded.”

(Telegraph Staff Writer Tom King contributed to this report.)