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Deshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns
As much as the Cleveland Browns could be in position to better themselves this offseason, with two first-round draft picks and clear areas that need addressing on the offensive front and at the wide receiver spots, the one drag no the franchise that is not going anywhere is that there just is not a true franchise quarterback in place. Well, there is a would-be franchise guy–Deshaun Watson–but he has been ravaged by injury, poor play and off-field issues.
Watson’s sum total in Cleveland, for the five-year, $230 million (all guaranteed) contract the Browns have paid him is 19 starts in four years. There’s a school of thought suggesting the Browns should cut bait with him and move on, but the problem is, Cleveland does not have a whole lot of other alternatives.
Shedeur Sanders had an underwhelming rookie year–playing with an underwhelming supporting cast, to be fair–and is in position to be the starter in 2026. But increasingly, there are suggestions that the Browns could, instead of gambling on Sanders, turn to the guy who might be more of a sure thing. Now that Watson has recovered from two Achilles tendon surgeries, maybe he should get one more crack at the job.
Myles Garrett: Deshaun Watson, Other QBs Should Get a Chance
Star defensive lineman Myles Garrett, in a conversation with Micah Parsons streamed on Bleacher Report, said that as the Browns move forward, he thinks that Watson will get a chance to win the job. Sanders is the starter, as he made clear, but it’s not a settle race.
Parsons asked Garrett, “You’re paying a guy $46 million, is he gonna get a shot?”
Garrett blinked silently for a moment, as if processing the fact that his team is paying Watson $46 million.
Then he said, “I feel like everybody on the roster is going to get a shot. (Sanders) was the last guy on the field so he is obviously going to get first service. And, you know, Deshaun, whoever else is on the roster, they’re going to get a real look.”
Todd Monken Showing Interest in Deshaun Watson
New head coach Todd Monken is reported to be intrigued by the notion of giving the job back to Watson, who has managed to go 9-10 in the games he did play during his Cleveland tenure. When Monken weighs his options–adding a quarterback by trade (Mac Jones?), overpaying a free-agent gamble like Malik Willis, or risking a first-round pick in a weak quarterback draft–the idea of turning back to Watson probably looks the most stable.
We don’t know how Watson will hold up after his surgeries. But he is a three-time Pro Bowler who once threw for 4,823 yards with 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions, and he’s still only 30. The Browns will pay him either way, so maybe there is logic there.
Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns
GettyMyles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns
Myles Garrett Wants Browns to Fix Offense This Offseason
But Garrett also pointed out that the Browns’ offense needs a lot more than a quarterback, as important as that spot is. In the draft and free agency, Cleveland must fill its holes.
“We gotta go offense, we gotta get it right,” Garrett said. “We gotta get some help, you know? We need to get healthy, that’s the first thing. There are some guys on the offensive line that need to get healthy. We need some support there.
“We need some help in the skill positions. We need some healthy competition—push each other to get better. We need to improve, and that’s on offense and defense, but the offense needs a little more.”