Outspoken guard Wyatt Teller didn’t mince words when addressing Deshaun Watson’s tumultuous tenure with the Cleveland Browns.
Teller spoke at length about various topics, including Watson, during an extended interview with Tyler Dunne of “Go Long.”
“I feel like he has had a really [expletive] run. It’s been really tough on him,” Teller said of Watson. “He is coming back off of [a suspension in 2022] — originally it was six games, then out of nowhere it was 11 games. I’m still confused with how that worked. We had someone come out of the NFL who said — and [Players Association] — both agreed on an amazing judge, and she said that, ‘Hey, it should be six games.’ And then it was like, ‘No, that’s not enough.’ It’s like, ‘Wait, if the NFLPA agrees and you agree on this woman and then you don’t agree with what she says?’ So from the start, I think that curve balls have been thrown at him.”
The Browns gave up a trio of first-round picks to land Watson via a blockbuster 2022 trade. The team also handed him a $230 million fully guaranteed contract, increasing the scrutiny.
Watson missed more time last season due to injury. He appeared in just six games before having season-ending shoulder surgery. Watson has played in 12 games over two seasons, passing for 2,217 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions.
Teller: Watson Has Shown Glimpses of Mahomes
So far, the high-stakes move for Watson has not paid off for the Browns. But Teller still has faith that his quarterback can bounce back.
“I’ve seen glimpses, I’ve seen flashes of absolute greatness. I know that putting a whole game together is really frickin’ hard, especially at the helm of quarterback. But even in the Ravens game, I mean, he was doing what he wanted to do when he wanted to do it,” Teller said, referring to a matchup when Watson completed all 14 of his second-half attempts for 134 yards and a touchdown. The Browns won 33-31.
“I would love to say he has glimpses of Patty Mahomes. Patty Mahomes is a once-in-a-lifetime guy. I mean, he’s insane,” Teller added. “And he has great outlets, he has great receivers, he has a great defense. He has all these different things around him to make him better. But he is the truth. I believe that Deshaun has that. I truly do. I’ve seen glimpses of it.”
Watson, Browns Embracing Super Bowl Aspirations
The Browns have assembled a stellar roster with solid depth at nearly every position. The key will be Watson’s recovery from shoulder surgery and his ability to bounce back.
“I just pray that he comes back with a vengeance and we play well. Super Bowl expectations, it’s crazy to frickin’ talk about,” Teller said. “I’m trying to win Game 1 versus the Cowboys, and hopefully that’s a good game and we keep going.”
Watson has also acknowledged the Super Bowl-level expectations for the Browns. However, he knows staying healthy will be essential.
“We got the pieces. We just have to put it all together. Once we all get healthy and get the opportunity on the field at the same time for a full season, hell yeah we have a chance to do it,” Watson said in March on his “QB Unplugged” podcast. “We got the defense, the offense, the special teams, the culture, the fanbase. We just got to go do it now.”
Watson is expected to be ready to roll for Week 1 when the Browns take on the Dallas Cowboys.
