Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Browns’ Week 8 win over the Ravens paints a clear picture of what should happen with Deshaun Watson
All it took was one single game with a change at quarterback and it isn’t the first time it has happened.
The Cleveland Browns offense has struggled badly all season. Before their Week 8 win over the Baltimore Ravens, the Browns had failed to score 20 points in a game this season. Deshaun Watson orchestrated the offense the first seven weeks and never reached 200 yards passing himself.
Watson went down with a season-ending injury once again and the Browns had to call to their backup. Cleveland signed Jameis Winston because they knew they had to have a capable backup in place. After appearing in just six games in each of the last two seasons, there was no reason to trust that Watson could get through a season. The Browns were prepared for the Achilles injury, which should be the final straw for Watson playing meaningful football in Cleveland.
The failed Deshaun Watson experiment should be over in Cleveland
It was just last season that we watched Joe Flacco hop in and take the Browns offense to another level. Flacco was a key piece in helping Cleveland win 11 games and get to the playoffs. After reaching the playoffs last year and improving the roster in the offseason, the expectation was that Cleveland should be right back in the mix this season.
They are not and it is mainly because of the historically bad offense they operated with the first seven weeks of the season. Jameis Winston stepped in and completed 27 passes for 334 yards and three touchdowns in a win over the Ravens. Yes, the Browns did change their offensive play caller and the offensive line was better. Still, Winston gave the Browns what they hadn’t had all year, a capable quarterback.
Three years in a row we have seen a backup quarterback outplay Watson. If it was to happen one time the rust factor of Watson could have worked as an excuse. After happening three seasons in a row, it is now a trend. Cleveland has to accept Watson for what he is and that is not a starting-level quarterback in the NFL.
Overall, the team played their best game of the season with Winston at the helm. It was an emotional one in Cleveland after the loss of longtime radio announcer Jim Donovan’s passing and Cleveland delivered him a win. If Watson was still at quarterback it is fair to say that the outcome probably would have been different.
Through seven games, Watson was among the worst in the league at quarterback with a -2.2 EPA. Cleveland’s offensive line played well with Dawand Jones making his first start at left tackle, but in the past, they haven’t been as big of an issue as some believe. Watson brought a lot of sacks upon himself for his recklessness in the pocket.
The Browns traded three first-round picks plus plenty more for Watson and followed it up with a guaranteed contract. He is getting paid through the 2026 season no matter what by Cleveland. Though, the Browns should have seen everything they need to know that he should never be their starter again. If they want to bench him that is one option, or they could cut him and eat a ton of money.
A year of Winston or another veteran quarterback as a bridge option should be on the table. Winston is going to turn the ball over and he is going to make some bad plays. The one thing he does is push the ball downfield and that alone takes this offense further than Watson ever will. Drafting a quarterback early in the 2025 NFL Draft has to be in the back of the Browns’ minds.
There is nothing else for Watson to do in Cleveland. He has had more than his fair chance at being the franchise quarterback for the team and he has fumbled it every single time. If you can’t be on the field you can’t be a factor and Watson will have played in just 19 games through three seasons with the Browns.
All of his numbers have dropped across the board and he has clearly lost a step. Add in the Achilles injury recovery, there is a chance that Watson comes back worse than we have already seen.
After trading for a player with the baggage that they did, the Browns owe their fans the right thing to do in this situation. That is for Watson to never be the starting quarterback in Cleveland again.
