Deshaun Watson and Amari Cooper have yet to find their rhythm this season, which has made the Cleveland Browns‘ offense noticeably less effective.
Cooper has just 5 catches for 27 yards this season. It’s not from a lack of attention from Watson, who has targeted him a team-high 17 times. There have been a mix of drops and tough-to-catch passes among those targets.
Watson took a step forward last week but still has room for improvement. The Browns’ $230 million quarterback has passed for 355 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions this season, completing 58.2% of his passes.
Watson is determined to get on the same page with his top pass-catcher.
“It’s part of the game. It sometimes depends on the defensive coordinators and the way they scheme. Sometimes it’s the way that the game is kind of playing out. But, you know, we never lose faith in each other,” Watson said on Wednesday, September 18. “And it’s a long season and we’re just gonna continue to work and figure it out. But when it do click, it’s definitely going to be very exciting for both of us.”
Amari Cooper in Contract Year With Browns
Cooper, 30, is coming off one of the best years of his career. He caught 72 passes for 1,250 yards and five touchdowns. However, a chunk of that production came without Watson as his quarterback. Watson’s solution? Just keep working.
“We’re just working. We just keep working, keep talking about what we’re seeing on tape, what we’re seeing on film, how we run certain routes versus different defenders and different schemes,” Watson said. “And that’s all we can do, is just keep working. And when it comes on game day, trying to execute that plan that we built throughout the week.”
This season is important for Cooper, who will be a free agent next offseason. He attempted to hold out for an extension during mandatory minicamp. However, the Browns opted instead to guarantee his $20 million in salary and added $5 million in incentives.
“I’m content for sure. Obviously I wanted more guarantees in the contract, just because I feel like I’ve earned it,” Cooper said in July. “But you know, you can always get what you wish for all the time. It’s definitely noted. If I have to go earn it, that’s what I’ll do.”
The Browns made a significant investment in Watson, both in trade capital and his full guaranteed contract. A comment he made to the CBS broadcast crew prior to the Week 2 matchup got the attention of Jason Lloyd of The Athletic.
“Deshaun told the CBS crew that he’s not trying to be the QB he was in Houston,” said Lloyd. “He trusts the talent here more and just needs to be a facilitator. The Browns probably would’ve liked to have known they were getting ‘a facilitator’ before they gave up three [first-round picks] and $230 million.”
Watson addressed that comment on Wednesday.
“It’s just the way the game goes and how the flow of the game is,” Watson said. “I go into each and every game with the same mindset. And that’s me walking on the field being the best player that I could be on the field.”
The Browns are a 6.5-point home favorite against the New York Giants.
