Deshaun Watson’s $230 million contract is guaranteed, which seems to secure his position as the team’s starting quarterback.
Despite not leading Cleveland to an offensive touchdown or even their first 20-point game this season, coach Kevin Stefanski remains committed to Watson.
After the Browns lost 20-16 to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Stefanski firmly stated that Watson will continue as QB1 for the upcoming game against Cincinnati. “Yes,” Stefanski confirmed when asked.
Watson completed 16 of 23 passes for 168 yards but missed a chance for a tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter, getting pushed out of bounds at the 2-yard line during a scramble. He threw an incomplete pass on third down, leading the team to settle for a field goal without getting the ball back.
“I thought there were some good moments,” Stefanski said. “We need to protect him better. That’s a tough defensive front. The guys fought hard and had some chances, but we need to be more explosive.”
Given Watson’s poor statistics, including a 76.6 quarterback rating, it’s hard to believe he is still the starter.
Many wonder if Stefanski is being stubborn or if team owner Jimmy Haslam is pressuring him to stick with Watson because of his expensive contract.
The Browns seem unlikely to repeat last year’s playoff run, which was led by then-backup Joe Flacco. Is former first-round pick and current backup Jameis Winston really the solution?
“Where are we? We’re 1-5,” Stefanski said. “We own it and I’m not going to hide from it. I’m 1-5, the whole locker room is. But I know we have a tough group, and we’ll be back ready to fight next week.”
The Browns’ issues extend beyond their record. Watson’s contract, with two years left and a $72.9 million salary cap hit each year, could go down as one of the worst in NFL history, tying them to a quarterback struggling both on and off the field.
The quarterback was suspended for the first 11 games of 2022 for breaking the league’s personal conduct rules after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior during massage therapy sessions.
Watson was fined $5 million and had to go through mandatory counseling before the league allowed him to return. This week, he settled another civil lawsuit from a woman claiming sexual assault and battery.
On Sunday, he completed 11 of 12 passes for 122 yards in the second half, but he hasn’t yet thrown for 200 yards in a game this season.
“It’s right there in our hands, and we’re not taking it,” Watson said. “Yeah, the chances are there.” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni acknowledged Watson’s past talent, saying he could still reach the level he once had.
“I’ve seen Deshaun Watson be Superman before,” Sirianni said. It seems the Eagles were a tough challenge for him.
The Browns are the first team since Jacksonville in 2014 to score fewer than 20 points in each of their first six games. Those Jaguars ended up with a 3-13 record.
Cleveland’s only touchdown came from a blocked field goal. Watson was sacked three times and only threw for 49 yards in the first half.
“I don’t know what we have to do, but we need to do something,” Watson said. “Lock in so we don’t cost ourselves any more games because we’ve got to really turn this around.”
