One analyst believes Deshaun Watson will face an uncertain future if he fails to produce with the Cleveland Browns this season.
Watson has failed to live up to expectations with the Browns. The team gave up a trio of first-round picks to land him via a 2022 trade and also handed him a $230 million fully guaranteed contract.
So far, Watson has played in 12 games with mixed results. He’s passed for 2,217 yards, 14 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. Former NFL receiver James Jones feels like Watson is entering a make-or-break year.
“If he does not play well, he’s going to be out of there. We just saw Joe Flacco take this team to the playoffs. If he comes in here and is not available or playing at a high level, Deshaun Watson is going to be gone,” Jones said on FS1’s First Things First. “If he has another bad season, I don’t know how many other teams are going to give him an opportunity.”
Jones: Deshaun Watson One of ‘Worst’ QBs
Part of the disappointment with Watson stems from his strong play in the past. Watson made a trio of Pro Bowls with the Houston Texans and led the league in passing yards during the 2020 season.
He’s had his moments in Cleveland but Jones puts him in the bottom tier of passers in the league.
“If we’re really, truly keeping it 100, Deshaun Watson has been one of the worst quarterbacks in our league,” Jones said. “And I can say that because we have seen how special he could be. Since he’s got to the Cleveland Browns, there have been a lot of ‘what are you doing’ plays. We can say eventually, the Houston dude will come back. But maybe the Houston dude is gone.”
The Browns hope that’s not the case. If Watson never regains his form, the Browns’ trade will end as one of the worst in league history. However, the Browns have expressed confidence that Watson can be their franchise quarterback.
“We feel good about Deshaun,” Browns GM Andrew Berry said in January. “I think the biggest thing is just him staying on the field, keeping (him) on the field. Each year, we really do try and do as much self-assessment as possible on every area of the operation. So in good years and bad years, (we) will probably always tinker somewhere to some degree with what we think is best. But in terms of just Deshaun in particular, we’re excited. We just want to make sure he’s healthy.”
Deshaun Watson Expects to be Ready for Week 1
What doesn’t help Watson’s situation is that he’s attempting to rebound from season-ending shoulder surgery. Watson fractured his shoulder in November of last season and has been working hard to get back on the field.
He’s expressed that he’ll be ready for Week 1 and is seeking to be even “better” than he was previously.
“I’ll be better than I was before in Week 1,” Watson said on April 4. “I’m very confident in the roles of the doctors. Dr. [Neal] ElAttrache and his team, following their lead, just all the research that I’ve done. And then just my work and preparation. I’ve put my whole life into this, I want to make sure I come back even better than before.”
The Browns have some additional arms at their disposal if Watson gets injured again or stumbles mightily in his return to the field. Jameis Winston is expected to serve as the primary backup, with Tyler Huntley and Dorian Thompson-Robinson also in the mix.
