The Cleveland Browns are being given very little benefit of the doubt heading into next season, and much of that skepticism is tied to the idea that Deshaun Watson could once again be the team’s starting quarterback.
Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports ranked the Browns No. 29 in his offseason power rankings, putting Cleveland near the bottom of the league after another major reset. The Browns traded Myles Garrett this offseason and are trying to rebuild around a younger roster, yet Watson remains at the center of the quarterback conversation.
“The team’s decision to tell the world (repeatedly and loudly) that it wants to start Deshaun Watson while also trading the great Myles Garrett says a lot. This version of the Browns started in 1999 and has been on a hamster wheel since then. The push to get everyone on board with the idea of Watson starting is beyond humiliating for the franchise, and the fan base should be angry about it.”
Schwab pointed to multiple reports indicating the Browns have been laying the groundwork for Watson to be the starter again, dating back to last season. That comes despite head coach Todd Monken publicly keeping the competition open between Watson and Shedeur Sanders.
Monken has said the Browns need to see both quarterbacks in pads, in live situations and against opponents before making a final call. But the outside perception is already forming, and Schwab is not buying the idea that Watson gives Cleveland much reason for optimism.
He also believes the Browns will end up starting multiple quarterbacks this season, which would not be a surprise given the uncertainty in the room.
Deshaun Watson Could Face Rough Reception From Browns Fans
If Watson wins the job, the Browns’ problems will not be limited to what happens on the field. Watson has already heard it from fans in Cleveland. The last time he played in a regular-season game, he suffered an Achilles injury against the Cincinnati Bengals and was booed by some fans as he went down. Watson addressed the reaction during minicamp and said he cannot concern himself with how fans respond.
“At the end of the day, I can’t control what people support,” Watson said. “I think that’s their own opinions. I think that all I can do is just put out the best person I am, showcase who I am as a person, as a player, as a teammate, and what I represent as an individual. So outside of that, I can’t focus on what the outside is saying or what they — I have no control over that other than just putting out the best product that I can put out as a person and as a player.”
Watson was also asked if he could handle calls for Sanders to see the field if he is the starter.
“Like I said, I can’t control what the fans and how they, you know, approach me or approach any other person that walks out there,” Watson said. “At the end of the day, when I step in between the lines, I gotta lock in on the task at hand. And that’s just winning and being successful. So, my mentality is in between the lines – block out the good or the bad, whatever comes with it, and just go out there and execute and play at a high level and try my best to win the game for us.”
Deshaun Watson Enters Contract Year With NFL Future in Doubt
Watson is entering the final year of his fully guaranteed $230 million contract. The Browns gave up a haul of draft picks to acquire him in 2022, but he has appeared in just 19 games and has never come close to giving Cleveland the franchise quarterback it thought it was getting.
If he remains on the bench, his NFL future becomes murky. Teams are unlikely to view him as a starter — or even viable backup — based on what he has put on tape in Cleveland. His injury history only adds to the concern. If he wants to extend his career beyond this season, he likely has to play — and play well.
“I’m trying to play a full season,” Watson said. “I’m just trying to be healthy so I can play all 17-plus games.”
Meanwhile, the Browns are still trying to determine what their long-term answer at quarterback looks like. If Sanders and Watson fail to deliver wins, Cleveland will almost certainly be back in the draft market next spring searching for its quarterback of the future.
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