The one certainty about Deshaun Watson’s future with the Browns is that they owe him $92m over the subsequent two years. Every part else concerning the quarterback is up within the air.
At a information convention on Wednesday, Browns basic supervisor Andrew Berry was principally noncommittal about Watson, saying he hasn’t dominated out the divisive QB coming again to play for Cleveland in 2025 regardless of one other important harm, three disappointing seasons and a cut up fanbase.
Watson is recovering from a season-ending ruptured achilles tendon sustained final month. That, together with Watson being among the many lowest-rated quarterbacks within the NFL this season, has led to hypothesis about how – or if – he suits in with the Browns, who made a franchise-altering commerce to amass him in 2022.
Berry was requested instantly if Watson will play for Cleveland once more. “That’s at all times potential,” Berry stated, leaving the door open for different choices.
With eight video games left in a season the Browns (2-7) had anticipated to incorporate the playoffs, Berry stated he wasn’t wanting past the remaining schedule.
“Actually our focus with Deshaun, I might say for any participant with a season-ending harm and a significant harm, is before everything with the restoration and to ensure that he will get wholesome from the achilles harm,” Berry stated. “Every part else we’ll cope with at a later second.”
The crew’s resolution to commerce three-first spherical draft picks to the Houston Texans after which signal the 29-year-old Watson by providing him a totally assured, five-year $230m contract has backfired.
A 3-time Professional Bowler, Watson is 9-10 in simply 19 begins with Cleveland. He was suspended 11 video games by the NFL for violating its private conduct coverage in his first season with the Browns and the final two have ended prematurely with accidents.
However even when he has been wholesome, Watson hasn’t been superb – overthrows, poor selections and losses have dominated his time in Cleveland. The Browns had been 1-5 this season and hadn’t scored 20 factors in any recreation earlier than Watson was damage.
Berry, although, stated it’s not honest in charge all the pieces on Watson. “We haven’t performed properly as a crew and we haven’t performed properly as a unit on offense,” he stated. “Usually instances if you don’t play properly on offense, clearly your beginning quarterback and your play-caller will get essentially the most criticism. However the actuality of it’s, offenses, it comes right down to group and synchronization. There’s simply a number of shared possession throughout the totally different place teams when it comes to why we didn’t carry out.”
Watson will make $46m in every of the subsequent two seasons, and the Browns, who reworked his payout this season to open salary-cap area, will take a success of $72m in 2025 and 2026, impacting their skill to repair a roster with expertise and holes.
The deal has been panned universally, with some calling it the worst in NFL historical past. Workforce homeowners Dee and Jimmy Haslam had been broadly criticized for the transfer due to the cash and since Watson’s signing got here amid allegations of sexual misconduct whereas he performed for the Texans. He was accused by two dozen girls of sexual assault and harassment throughout therapeutic massage remedy classes. He has not been charged over any of the allegations.
Berry reiterated the commerce was collaborative. “Like we’ve at all times stated, all of us had been on board,” Berry stated. “Everybody’s on board and clearly with an enormous dedication in that regard, that’s at all times going to be the case.”
Watson’s arrival in Cleveland was met with a blended response from followers, a few of whom had been disgusted the crew would add a participant of questionable character. Then, after Watson obtained damage final 12 months, the Browns signed Joe Flacco as a free agent and the veteran QB led them to a playoff berth.
The crew’s alternative to not convey again Flacco additional alienated Watson’s detractors. Issues got here to a head final month when there was some derisive cheering by Browns followers when Watson obtained damage, a response that angered a number of of his teammates.
Berry was requested if the hostile response will have an effect on any QB selections going ahead. “We love our followers,” he stated. “We all know that they’re passionate and so they love the crew. As we make selections organizationally, it’ll at all times be inside what we expect is inside one of the best curiosity of the franchise. A few of these will probably be standard, a few of these will probably be unpopular, however that’s actually the way in which that we’ll navigate it.”
