Browns win home opener over Carolina

       The Cleveland Browns defense stepped up when they needed it most, and DeShaun Watson threw his second touchdown of the game to Harold Fannin with 1:48 remaining as the Browns won their home opener over the Carolina Panthers 21-18.

Watson completed 16 of 30 passes for 144 yards and the two touchdowns.

Fannin led the offense with seven catches for fifty-one yards.

Mason Graham led the defense with two sacks as the Browns improved to 2-1 and will host Pittsburgh on Thursday.

Brownie Bits

1) The offense still has a long way to go, and while the Browns can't complain about winning, they still have to wonder about DeShaun Watson.

Watson didn't throw an interception and did lead the team to the game-winning touchdown, but...

2) Carolina dropped a few possible interceptions, and one they held onto was overruled by a penalty.

I know there are ifs and buts, but these things tend to even out over a season, and once interceptions start to be completed, things can go off a wagon quickly.

3) Watson has developed a connection with Harold Fannin and Denzel Boston, but he is struggling to gain a rapport with first-round selection K.C. Concepcion.

Concepcion was targeted nine times, but caught only two for nine yards.

4) Concepcion may be struggling, but the highly paid Jerry Jeudy was non-existent, as Jeudy didn't have a single pass thrown to him all game.

Jeudy carries a high dead cap number if he's traded (good luck with that) or released, so unless his attitude becomes disruptive, he'll be around all season, but it looks bleak for anything other than an occasional flash from Jeudy.

5) The Browns traded for tackle Tytus Howard in the offseason and gave him a contract extension after a mediocre year with Houston.

Howard was called for three false starts and seems to be a questionable decision as a full-time tackle.

6) Another offseason acquisition was playing well in Elgton Jenkins, but Jenkins is unlikely to play against Pittsburgh after entering the concussion protocol.

The Browns will likely start Luke Wypler as fifth-round draftee Parker Brailsford is still recovering from a broken hand suffered in training camp.

7) It might be time to reevaluate my opinion on Mason Graham, whom the Browns took fifth overall in 2025.

Graham sacked Bryce Young twice in this game and has four sacks in the three games after finishing with just one as a rookie.

Graham has been giving the Browns the power rush up the middle that many teams covet, but few teams possess.

8) The Browns pay Denzel Ward to be a shutdown corner, and he was just that in shutting down Carolina's second-year standout Tetairoa McMillan, holding the talented McMillan to two catches for seventeen yards.

9) The Browns might be starting to receive benefits from Mike Hall after middling results in his two previous seasons.

Hall didn't get to the quarterback for a sack, but pressured him several times and helped Mason Graham's sacks.

10)  The Browns are surprises at 2-1, and a win over Pittsburgh would start the good vibes rolling.

Before thinking of that, consider the Browns wins came over opponents with a combined record of 1-5.

I'm not saying to not be happy, but let's see where we are after the Steelers  game and a road game against the winless New York Jets.

Watson Finished, Bengals bump Browns

   The Cleveland Browns day went awry with the first kick of the game and never got better as the Browns lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 21-14 in Cleveland.

Charlie Jones of the Bengals took the opening kickoff for a touchdown and the Browns never pulled even for the remainder of the game.

Nick Chubb rushed for a touchdown and David Njoku caught ten passes including a touchdown to lead Cleveland in defeat on a day that DeShaun Watson may have taken his last snap as a Cleveland Brown.

Cleveland falls to 1-6 after the loss and will host Baltimore next week.

Brownie Bits

1) DeShaun Watson played his usual game for the Browns before the injury consisting of dink and dunk passes, completing many and moving the chains seldom.

That said, Watson was in the middle of the best Browns drive of the day to that point, which eventually would be finished with the Browns first touchdown.

Watson finished the day completing fifteen of seventeen passes for one hundred twenty-eight yards before leaving the game.

2) It was very evident on the play where DeShaun Watson blew out his Achilles tendon without being touched that the injury was severe.

I watched the play, turned, and said "That's an Achilles injury and that's bad".

The replay shows the bulge and those injuries are almost always devastating.

3) The controversy about some fans cheering the injury to Watson led to players confronting fans during the period that Watson was being attended to on the field and emotional statements by Myles Garrett and Jameis Winston after the game.

Here's my take- I think fans have the right to boo players that they feel aren't playing up to their salaries.

Cheering when players are injured crosses the line and I think the fans that did that crossed the line.

4) The final Watson drive was completed by Dorian Thompson-Robinson and ended with a short touchdown run by Nick Chubb.

On a day filled with bad football and the season-ending injury to DeShaun Watson, the return of Nick Chubb and the response that he received from Cleveland fans was just about the only fun news from an awful game.

5) It was a bad game for veteran kicker Dustin Hopkins, who missed a 49-yard field goal attempt, missed an extra point, and failed to take an angle on the Charlie Jones kick return that might have caused Jones to go out of bounds or give another player a better chance to bring Jones to the turf.

6) Special teams coach Bubba Ventrone is renowned as one of the better special teams coaches in the league, which is why the return for a touchdown by Cincinnati was a surprise.

7) Before the game, the Browns announced that Dorian Thompson-Robinson had been designated the backup QB with Jameis Winston as the emergency quarterback.

I thought that was a bit odd but when DeShaun Watson was injured, it was DTR in the game.

Other than the short field touchdown and a thirty-four-yard scramble, his play wasn't impressive, throwing two interceptions and injuring a finger when he took a sack.

8) When DTR left the game due to his finger injury, Jameis Winston entered the game as the designated emergency quarterback for the Browns final drive and the Browns scored their final touchdown when Winston hit a leaping David Njoku in the back of the end zone.

9) Many think the Browns should play Dorian Thompson-Robinson over Winston when he returns to health to see "what they have".

I don't. The Browns should know what they have as DTR lacks the arm to push the ball deep and his frail frame is going to keep him off and on that injured reserve.

10) Jameis Winston isn't going to send the Browns to the playoffs but his ability to stand tall in the pocket and power arm fits the offense and much like Joe Flacco in 2023, gives the Browns a chance to steal a few games- which might be exactly why they prefer DTR at this point.

11) David Njoku and Cedric Tillman combined for eighteen catches and might be the biggest winners of the quarterback change.

12) A final word on Jedric Wills, who continues to show a complete disinterest in blocking.

That is a real problem for an offensive tackle, the sooner he is gone, the better.

Bereft Browns drop opener to Dallas 33-17

       The Cleveland Browns offense was supposed to take the next step in efficiency with new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and the return from shoulder surgery by DeShaun Watson.

Instead, the Browns looked more like the offense that existed when Ken Dorsey played for the Browns in a worse than the score looked 33-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Cleveland.

DeShaun Watson finished 24 of 45 for 169 yards, a touchdown pass to Jerry Jeudy, and two interceptions.

The Browns will travel to Jacksonville next week to play the Jaguars, who lost at Miami on the final play of the game on a Dolphin field goal.

Brownie Bits

1) DeShaun Watson wasn't very good in his return to the field and it's not unfair to wonder about Watson's ability to lead the team to the postseason.

Watson was inaccurate, over and under-throwing receivers, and looked like a player bounding between running at the first rusher and an aging veteran holding the ball too long/

2) The Browns finished the first half with exactly one first down.

One. Think about that- ONE!

3) Watson did make a few strong throws to give me hope but many were overthrown and even when he connected, it had the feeling of an aberration rather than a return to consistency.

4) Watson made one excellent throw that should have been a touchdown in the final quarter but his pass slipped through the hands of Amari Cooper.

Had Cooper grabbed the pass, Watson's stats would have looked better and maybe Browns fans could have taken something positive out of the day.

5) Another reason to (maybe) cut Watson a break? Try the offensive line, who had issues in protecting the quarterback as Watson was sacked six times and hit seventeen times more!

The constant rush in Watson's face caused him to often get rid of the ball quickly and for short gains.

6) Some of this was due to the unexpected loss of Jack Conklin, who was expected to start and then was declared inactive but the Browns had to depend far too much on James Hudson and German Ifedi against the speed rushers from the outside from Dallas.

Of course, the protection will be better with the return of Conklin and Jedrick Wills but the line was in deep trouble today without them.

7) The Browns didn't run the ball often in the second half due to the deficit, so it's unknown how good the running backs were.

The Browns ran for 93 yards on the day but thirty-nine of those were on DeShaun Watson scrambles.

8) The defense didn't play as poorly as the score indicates as Dallas scored only two touchdowns against the defense, as the Cowboys would kick four field goals from forty yards or longer and allowed a punt return for the other Dallas score.

9) About that punt return score by the Cowboys KaVontae Turpin.

I would have understood had a return happened on a kickoff as teams are still learning the new rules.

But not a punt and certainly not the lack of interest in tackling Turpin.

I think Bubba Ventrone is one of the better special teams coaches in the league but he has some explaining to do after that coverage.

10) The Browns did provide some heat on Dak Prescott as they sacked him three times but it seemed as the game moved on, the defensive rush wasn't quite as effective.

11) David Njoku left the game with what is being reported as a high ankle sprain, which is bad news because that can take a while to heal.

The Browns disagreed with my thoughts that they needed another pass-catching threat and stood pat after adding Jerry Jeudy at wide receiver.

One game in and that decision seems questionable.

12) One game doesn't make a season right now but I do think the Browns have a problem.

DeShaun Watson may not have been protected well against Dallas but he didn't play well either and while Watson may be their guy, win or lose, for a while with the investment that the team has in him, that's worrisome because they could stick with him even at the cost of another season.

Next weekend in Jacksonvillle could be very interesting.

DeShaun Watson Out for Year

   Just as DeShaun Watson seemed to be showing signs of the player that the Cleveland Browns traded for, word from the team today stated that Watson had suffered a broken bone in his shoulder and would miss the remainder of the season.

Andrew Berry said that Watson should fully recover from his eventual surgery and be prepared to start the 2024 regular season.

Watson completed all fourteen of his passes in the second half in rallying the Browns to a 33-31 win in Baltimore over the Ravens to improve the team to 6-3 and only a half-game behind Baltimore for first place in the AFC North

Watson exits the season with 1,115 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and four interceptions in six games. While Watson seemed to be turning the corner just as his year concluded, it's not unfair to say that the Browns still will have questions about the quarterback position entering next season.

Kevin Stefanski announced that rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson will be the starter for Sunday's game against Pittsburgh.

Thompson-Robinson was overmatched in his only start of the year, getting less than an hour's notice of the start with no first-team preparation before throwing three interceptions in a 28-3 defeat against Baltimore.

The hope is that with a week of practice and work with the first team, Thompson-Robinson will be able to improve his performance and help the Browns get by against Pittsburgh, if not the remainder of the season.

The Browns are 6-3 with eight games to go and the schedule isn't overwhelmingly difficult.

Home games against Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Chicago, and the New York Jets and road games against the Los Angeles Rams, Denver, Houston, and Cincinnati.

4-4 against that schedule would make the Browns 10-7 which might get them into the playoffs, 5-3 and 11-6 is highly likely to get them into the postseason.

However, even against the weakest of teams, the Browns can't assume that they will receive even average play at the quarterback position, so none of these games can be guaranteed wins.

While DeShaun Watson has been disappointing, Andrew Berry didn't want to spend money for Jacoby Brissett, thought Dorian Thompson-Robinson could do the job better than Joshua Dobbs (the jury is still out there) before the season, and didn't trade (we don't really know if Berry tried to re-acquire one or both) for Brissett or Dobbs at the trade deadline to have insurance against a Watson injury.

This is the situation that faces the Browns- either an untested day-three rookie QB will have to succeed in an unexpected situation or a veteran quarterback that hasn't proven himself as a starter must come through as an average starter.

Thompson-Robinson can surprise, just last season San Francisco received play from seventh-round rookie Brock Purdy that was good enough to help the 49ers reach the NFC title game but one certainly cannot count on that happening.

No matter what, I can't blame Kevin Stefanski for whatever happens in the final nine games without Watson but I do have blame for Andrew Berry.

It was Berry that was all-in on Dorian Thompson-Robinson's impressive pre-season and he may eventually be right.

For the sake of the Cleveland Browns, he better be. 

Browns Rock Ravens 33-31 at the gun!

    Dustin Hopkins connected on a forty-yard field goal on the game's last play to give the Cleveland Browns a stunning come-from-behind victory over the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore.

The 33-31 win saw the Browns trail from seconds after the game began until the final kick by Hopkins as the Browns constantly hustled and scrapped to make up deficits that multiple times were fourteen points.

DeShaun Watson battled through an ankle injury to complete each of his fourteen second-half passes to lead the comeback.

Jerome Ford rushed for 107 yards and Amari Cooper led the receiver with ninety-eight yards on six catches.

Cleveland improved to 6-3 with the win and moved to within a half-game of the AFC North-leading Ravens.

The Browns will host the also 6-3 Pittsburgh Steelers next Sunday in Cleveland.

Brownie Bits

1) The day started poorly when Baltimore Safety Kyle Hamilton blitzed in on DeShaun Watson, tipped Watson's pass into the air and then grabbed it to cruise into the end zone for a touchdown uncontested.

Hamilton is a terrific young safety and I have a feeling that we will see many big plays from Hamilton against the Browns before his career is over.

2) A key play in the game was another fortunate bounce in a season filled with them was the fumble recovery by Wyatt Teller on the game-winning drive on a Baltimore strip sack on DeShaun Watson.

In the past, Baltimore recovers the ball and the game ends. 

3) DeShaun Watson may not have been allowed to go down the field by the Baltimore defense (his longest completion was 28 yards) but especially in the second half, Watson took what was given and put the ball where it needed to be.

That hasn't always been the case for Watson but the short-range accuracy is exactly what the Browns hoped for when they paid a punitive price for him.

4) Dustin Hopkins has been so dependable this season since the Browns acquired him from the Chargers and I actually felt sorry for him when he missed what would have been the game-tying extra point in the fourth quarter.

Trust me, that is not a common feeling from me on Browns kickers and I felt really good for Hopkins when he drilled the game-winner and avoided the goat horns.

5) Greg Newsome's pick-six in the final quarter was the first career interception for the former first-rounder and took some horns off himself for an earlier defensive holding penalty in the end zone that negated an interception that would have ended the drive for Baltimore but instead resulted in a Ravens touchdown.

Considering Newsome was injured for most of the weekend with an uncertain game status, it was quite a game for the Northwestern product.

6) I would be surprised if Denzel Ward was able to play this week after sustaining a neck injury in the first half.

Ward was trying to tackle Ravens receiver Zay Flowers when suddenly tackle Ronnie Stanley charged into the picture and spears Ward helmet-first.

Ward was unable to return after the cheap shot and Stanley is likely to pay a hefty fine after the NFL reviews all the games this week.

7) DeShaun Watson's biggest throw came on the final drive as the Browns faced a second and nineteen on their own twenty-two with Watson firing a dart to Amari Cooper for seventeen yards to bring the Browns to a reasonable third and two situation.

Jerome Ford ran for six yards to gain the first down but a big-time throw from Watson when the team needed it most.

8) James Proche had looked good returning punts last week in his Browns debut but his muffed punt in Baltimore led to the Ravens touchdown in the fourth quarter, so the Browns haven't solved their return problems yet.

9) The Browns grit came through on two occasions in the fourth quarter, one with David Njoku carrying defenders down the field for yardage and on Kareem Hunt's carry on the final drive, the Browns lineman pushed Hunt down the field for several extra yards that brought Dustin Hopkins into field goal range for the game-winning kick.

10) Jordan Elliott blocked a Justin Tucker field goal attempt in the second quarter for the second block of his career.

The other block of his career? Also against Justin Tucker.

11) The Browns defense kept Lamar Jackson under control, sacking him three times, intercepting him twice, and allowing Jackson to throw only one touchdown.

It wasn't easy or even pretty but it was enough to allow Cleveland to crawl back into the game.

12) I thought Baltimore would win a close game and I thought Cleveland had to win both this game and the following week's game against Pittsburgh to have a shot at winning the division due to tiebreakers inside the division as a loss to either would make 3-3 the best mark that Cleveland could have with a split.

The Browns now have a chance to win both and while the 6-3 Steelers are struggling on offense and overachieving a bit, their defense is the real deal as well.

Cleveland needs this game for many reasons, take the Steelers lightly at your own peril.

Browns offensive in 28-3 loss

   DeShaun Watson announced before the game that his ailing shoulder wasn't strong enough for him to play against the Baltimore Ravens and with that disappeared any hope of a home victory as the offense did next to zilch in a 28-3 loss at home.

Late starter Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw three interceptions and only 121 yards passing in the defeat.

Pierre Strong ran for forty yards on a  garbage time run to finish with forty-nine yards rushing as the offensive "star".

Cleveland falls to 2-2 and will be off next week before hosting unbeaten San Francisco in two weeks.

Brownie Bits

1) DeShaun Watson tried to throw a few passes in pre-game warmups and at the conclusion of those attempts, Watson was declared unavailable.

Watson hadn't practiced all week but was expected to play and his inactivity forced the Browns to throw Dorian Thompson-Robinson to the wolves or Ravens if you will.

2) Kevin Stefanski says that Watson's shoulder is "structurally sound" and he expects Watson to play in two weeks vs San Francisco.

Stefanski better be right because another outing from Thompson-Robinson like today and it means 2-3 with four of the five games at home.

3) It's tough to blame Dorian Thompson-Robinson for his performance under the circumstances but it does bring two points to mind.

The first is how little preseason performance has to do with preparation for untested quarterbacks.

Thompson-Robinson dazzled in the preseason against players who are now sitting on benches or unemployed but it should have had no bearing on the decision below.

4) This isn't to say that I think Joshua Dobbs would have done any better today than DTR but it's apparent that Andrew Berrt erred in not having an experienced backup behind DeShaun Watson on the roster and no, I'm not counting P.J. Walker.

While I fully support the idea of having a backup with a similar style as the starter and I also liked the Browns getting a fifth-rounder for Dobbs, considering that they may have decided to let him go anyway.

However, the decision to go into such a pivotal season with this situation seems foolhardy at this point.

It didn't have to be Dobbs but it should have been someone better able to handle a situation such as today.

5) Dorian Thompson-Robinson didn't play well but his offensive line didn't help as the young passer was sacked four sacks, hit more than that, and committed several penalties that stopped some of the few big plays that the Browns did come up with.

6) The Browns offensive day started bad and got worse as on their first offensive play, Jerome Ford ripped off a twenty-six-yard gain that was nullified by a holding call on Amari Cooper.

The twenty-sux yards equaled the total that Ford would amass all day on nine carries.

7) Thompson-Robinson tried to hit Amari Cooper but completed just one of six attempts to the veteran receiver,

8) Elijah Moore was acquired with the idea of getting the ball into his hands in the open field and for use in gadget plays but so far these have been ineffective.

The Browns tried a run play once with Moore, but Moore was unable to turn the corner and kept running backward.

Only an effort by Moore to gain something back allowed the play to lose "only" twenty yards.

9) I know lots are stating the defense was overrated but I'm not ready to go that far yet.

The defense was on the field almost the whole game and worn down, it is tough to make plays when you are that exhausted.

10) Two of the Ravens four touchdowns were drives of ten and thirty-eight yards.

Short-field touchdowns aren't excused but it does put the score in context.

Browns take down Texans 27-14

 The long-anticipated Cleveland Browns debut of DeShaun Watson was supposed to cure some offensive ills but it was two defensive touchdowns by Denzel Ward and Tony Fields combined with a Donovan Peoples-Jones punt return for a score that accounted for Cleveland's end zone visits in a 27-14 win over the hapless Houston Texans in Houston.

Watson would finish with only twelve completions from twenty-two throws for 131 yards and threw an interception into the Houston red one to end a scoring threat.

Nick Chubb rushed for eighty yards on seventeen carries and Kareem Hunt added fifty-six yards on nine carries to lead the offense.

Cleveland improved to 5-7 with the victory and will travel down I-71 to visit the Cincinnati Bengals next Sunday.

Brownie Bits

1) The big question was how DeShaun Watson would be treated in his return to Houston and while I'm sure there was some noise made and plenty of comments, they didn't really come across on the television broadcast.

This could be due to the Texans seeming to have poisoned a once-robust fan base into just ambivalence so it will be interesting to see how Watson is treated next week by the Cincinnati crowd.

2) I didn't expect DeShaun Watson to be sharp and he wasn't.

On the interception in the end zone to Jalen Pitre, he had a receiver open (Donovan Peoples-Jones) and instead attempted to squeeze it into Amari Cooper.

Those things will hopefully develop as Watson plays more often, even if the payoff doesn't arrive until next season.

3) On a few plays though, you could see what Watson could bring to the Browns as he scrambled around the pocket, tucked the ball down, and ran for a first down on an eleven-yard dash.

There are some things that Watson will need to work on but the mobility is still there intact.

4) The Browns entered this game with three interceptions in the previous eleven games but picked two passes in this win, including John Johnson's grab on the first offensive play of the game.

Johnson's interception didn't result in any points but it did set the stage for the Browns defense to make big plays throughout the game.

5) It was a big game for second-year linebacker Tony Fields, who forced a fumble that led to a touchdown, recovered a fumble, and grabbed a ball that was deflected by Chase Winovich, running sixteen yards for a touchdown.

Fields saw some action last week against Tampa Bay and could see even more playing time between his play against Houston and a second-half injury to Sione Takitaki that looked somewhat serious.

6) The other touchdown from the defense was really strange as Fields hit a sneaking Kyle Allen at the Houston two, knocking the ball loose, and seemed like no one saw the football except Denzel Ward, who strolled into the end zone untouched early in the third quarter.

7) Cleveland's other touchdown came from Donovan Peoples-Jones, who returned a punt seventy-six yards for the Browns first score late in the first half.

Peoples-Jones's return was the first punt return touchdown dating back to 2015 and Travis Benjamin.

For a team with so many great returners in their history, the Browns have had major issues filling the void since Josh Cribbs other than Travis Benjamin for a short time.

8) I was disappointed when Nick Chubb was tackled for a safety in the first half as Houston's defensive line pushed the Browns offensive line back and Chubb never came close to getting out of the end zone.

Remember that while it is only needed to break the plane of the goal line to score a touchdown, to avoid a safety the ball needs to completely reside outside of the end zone at the time of the tackle.

10) Other than that, the Browns had no problems running the ball against the Texans and Kareem Hunt looked as good as he has been all season on his carries.

11) Houston is the worst team in the league for a reason and the Browns couldn't score an offensive touchdown against them.

DeShaun Watson will need some time to really sharpen his skills and while the offense has been waiting for him as the savior, he isn't likely to be that for this season anyway.

The Browns missed David Njoku and Watson will naturally improve when his tight end is part of the weapons that he has on the field.

I'd still argue that the Browns need to upgrade those targets in the offseason to give Watson the best chance to succeed but that can wait until another time.

DeShaun Watson will face a good team in the Bengals next week and though they have their defensive issues as well, Cincinnati is much better than Houston, and the Browns have had the Bengals number in the last few seasons, so the Bengals will be much more motivated than one would suspect for a game against a 5-7 team.

We won't receive all the answers next week but we will likely get a few and they will go a long way toward the Browns playing for something in the final month of the season or playing out the string as they get a feeling for DeShaun Watson and what he does best in their offense.  

Deshaun Watson suspension adjusted- Finally an agreement!

    DeShaun Watson won't be throwing footballs for the Cleveland Browns until December 4th but working out an agreement for an eleven-game suspension and a five million dollar fine allows Watson to avoid risking losing the NFL's appeal of his original six-game suspension and sitting out the entire 2022 season.

While the media frenzy with Watson will continue likely for a year or more, the one positive of a menu filled with negatives with the entire saga is that for good or bad, the Cleveland Browns now know how long they will be without the player that they paid a ransom for and just how long that the Browns will have to get by with Jacoby Brissett in a season that they expected to contend.

I wrote about this after the six-game suspension, so I'm going to try to stick to the football aspect of this decision and the Browns will almost have to get off to a quick start with Brissett.

Cleveland's first four games are all winnable, with road games in Carolina and Atlanta with home games against the Jets and Pittsburgh, but the Browns will also go through the final seven games during Brissett's tenure that will see home games against the Chargers, New England, Cincinnati, and Tampa Bay with road games against Baltimore, Buffalo, and Miami.

Only Miami would seem to be a game that the Browns would be a strong favorite of that group right now and who knows what will be in store by the time any of those games roll around.

All of those games considered, I'd say the Browns have to be 6-5 or better when Watson returns to the lineup, and the only way that I see that happening is that the Browns win at least three of the four games at the head of the schedule.

I would think that the Browns will be looking for a veteran quarterback that could step in, should Brissett underperform or would be injured, and while I doubt the Browns would write a big check for Jimmy Garrappolo, Cleveland will have to have someone with some experience because if this season comes down to Josh Dobbs as the replacement as the starting quarterback, the season has officially become a disaster.

I'm not saying that a savior or anyone even better than Brissett would be available other than Garroppolo but they have to have enough experience to stem the tide and be better than Dobbs or Josh Rosen, who are both third-stringers/training camp arms essentially.

Who that quarterback could be is open to interpretation but even a veteran (Non-Garroppolo division) isn't likely to be too much of an improvement over Jacoby Brissett, although many could be better than Josh Dobbs.

A bigger question could be what DeShaun Watson is capable of doing on his Week 13 return in Houston (if you think that wasn't somewhat planned, I have a bridge to sell you).

After all, when Watson takes the field that day, he will have missed well over a year and a half and the only game action that he has seen since the 2020 season will have been the three drives that he led last week in the Browns preseason game in Jacksonville.

While I'm not worried about that being an issue over the long term, I do have questions about how long it could take to have Watson return to speed, especially with only six games remaining and the Browns possibly in a situation of playoff panic when Watson returns.

It could take time to return to peak performance and judging from the crowd that greeted him in Jacksonville, it could take some getting used to the amount of abuse and catcalls that will follow Watson wherever he goes for quite a while, if not for the rest of his career.

The Cleveland Browns now know how long they will play without DeShaun Watson.

The question now becomes can they stay close enough to the pack to avoid another lost season?

DeShaun Watson suspended for six games

  The news finally came down today and the Cleveland Browns gamble on DeShaun Watson will have to wait a little longer to see what the Browns traded for as arbitrator Sue L. Robinson suspended Watson for the first six games of the 2022 season.

Robinson's recommendation isn't final as the league can file an appeal of the suspension within three days in which commissioner Roger Goodell could impose a harsher sentence along the lines of the league's asked for suspension of one year and a fine of multiple million dollars.

Roger Goodell is tucked into a tough corner- retain the suspension and catch the wrath of female fans for the long term.

Overturn and lengthen the Watson suspension and the NFLPA will have a reason to question their agreement to use an arbitrator in these matters.

After all, it does seem to be a waste of time to go through a process to avoid Roger Goodell as the judge and jury, if Goodell can simply override the opinion of the agreed-to neutral arbitrator.

I'm not going to offer an opinion on the correct length of the suspension or even compare it to other cases that Roger Goodell has ruled on in the past but putting my status as a Browns fan aside for a minute, I think the suspension should stay as-is.

I realize that is self-serving but I'll fall back on this-What good does it do to have an independent neutral arbitrator, if you establish that Roger Goodell can still brush their decision aside?

I think I'd say that even if the suspension would not have been Browns-friendly because it just doesn't make sense to have an unbiased party decide and it can then go back to Roger Goodell for his ruling.

The NFLPA would likely file suit should Goodell increase the suspension and there will definitely be long-term ramifications as when the next labor agreement expires at the end of the 2030 season.

I know that's eight years away but that doesn't mean that the next negotiations wouldn't start with one foot in a hole over this as it's more likely than not that DeShaun Watson is still playing in the league at that time.

I'm not sure that we have heard the end of this topic yet but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The question is who is holding the lantern?

DeShaun Watson: Why the Browns should have passed

 DeShaun Watson was introduced to the media on Friday and as one would expect it was an uncomfortable affair filled with cliches' from Andrew Berry, Kevin Stefanski, and the Haslems along with a surprisingly defiant DeShaun Watson.

The trade does have some concerns and problems to consider and in order to be fair, here are some reasons that the Browns should not have pulled the trigger on DeShaun Watson.

The white elephant in the room is the allegations against Watson by the now-known twenty-two women.

While various grand juries have ruled not enough evidence existed to take any of the cases to the next stage, the allegations alone have placed the Browns in a very difficult state in acquiring Watson.

Watson's issues have placed the Browns and Watson directly in the sights of every sexual assault victims group, women's group, and many women in general.

Each of these groups will have its share of pull in media coverage but the biggest potential problem goes beyond the public relations hit that the team is taking and will continue to take for the foreseeable future.

The public relations on this may be very awkward and many Browns fans are stating that they have left the team for good but time will tell if DeShaun Watson's ability to lift the Browns to previously unseen levels will bring those fans back or not.

Will the addition of DeShaun Watson hurt the Browns in attracting free agents to Cleveland?

One could say that having a star of his caliber would help but it's also possible that it could hurt their pitch to prospective Browns.

We all have mothers, sisters, and daughters and in some cases, it could be tough to sell an important female that is close to a player that the Cleveland Browns are the type of organization that cares about the rights, etc of women when they give someone a pass due to his skill level.

I wouldn't sell this short as a potential factor in the future for at least an occasional Cleveland target that might get away.

And surprisingly there is a factor or two on the field that can make you think about this trade as well.

DeShaun Watson is a native of Georgia, played his college football in South Carolina, and has played his professional career in Texas under a retractable dome.

Watson played in a division with teams in Florida, Tennessee, and Indiana with Indiana inside a dome.

This means that Watson has played in at least eleven games every season in warm weather or inside a dome and it's not unfair to wonder how he could be affected by the wind off Lake Erie and the other games in the AFC North.

That could turn out to be a non-factor for Watson as many great cold weather QB's played in the South or West before going cold, Brett Favre (Mississippi) Aaron Rodgers (California), Bart Starr (Alabama), and Fran Tarkenton (Georgia) to name only a few success stories, so it may turn out to be a non-issue for Watson playing in the frosty conditions but it certainly is fair to question his capability until he proves that he can adjust to the less-than-perfect weather in the late season and potentially playoffs.

Another factor could be that Watson hasn't played in a year due to sitting out last season and could miss even more when the expected suspension comes down from the NFL.

I would be surprised if Watson played at his normal level right away but that is a short-term concern more than a long-term one and I'd be more concerned if he was an older quarterback going through the layoff.

An older quarterback could benefit from one year away from taking the punishment that comes with the game but that might help for that season but you lose a season of an aging player's remaining years.

I would think the time away might make a small difference in 2022 but shouldn't be a factor after that.

All of these are excellent arguments for why the Browns should not have acquired DeShaun Watson and you can make a strong point that the Browns as an organization shouldn't be employing someone with the accusations against Watson.

However, just as in real business it's all about money and in this case-winning.

The Cleveland Browns would have never had another chance to add an elite-level quarterback at twenty-seven (he turns 27 in September) and they sure weren't going discover Baker Mayfield suddenly getting to that level.

Sure, I don't like the accusations against DeShaun Watson and admittedly I'm a little concerned about an eventual Browns title meaning a little less under these circumstances.

Jimmy and Dee Haslam don't share those concerns.

They are running a business and for almost all of the last ten years of their ownership tenure, they have been downright awful at it- this is their chance to get right what they put wrong.

For their sake, they better get it right this time because if it doesn't, the Browns and the Haslems just may be beyond redemption.

DeShaun Watson- Why the Browns should have made the trade.

   The Cleveland Browns trade that acquired star quarterback DeShaun Watson from the Houston Texans will be one that will be debated for years by football fans, media, and even people in football and by more than the on-field considerations.

If the considerations were only those of Watson's ability, then no one would even consider objecting to trade, at least those in Cleveland anyway.

But of course, there are outside considerations and I'll write about them in the next post for why the Browns shouldn't have traded for DeShaun Watson.

This post will discuss why the Browns were right to make the trade even with the risks and the costs.

The biggest reason is to upgrade at quarterback whereas Baker Mayfield gave the Browns an average quarterback at best.

Watson immediately gives Cleveland a quarterback that can rank with any of the elite quarterbacks in the game and although it may be 2023 until Browns fans can see Watson at his best considering his inactivity in 2021 and the likely time that he misses in 2022 due to a looming suspension, the Browns are competitive at the most important position against the best the league has to offer for the first time since prime Bernie Kosar in the late 1980s.

I wrote after the trade that Mayfield gave the Browns either the tenth, eleventh or twelfth best quarterback in the AFC, a conference that continues to get better seemingly every day, and that's not going to cut it if you are serious about being a contender.

DeShaun Watson simply is better than Baker Mayfield in any category that you can name, arm strength, accuracy, mobility, and the ability to pass in the pocket.

Look at the numbers-DeShaun Watson's worst season is better than Baker Mayfield's best- Can the Browns afford not to take the chance on Watson?

Not acquiring Watson and starting Mayfield sets the Browns program back years unless Mayfield would have made a quantum leap in his play and that means better than his career season in 2020.

If Mayfield is even above average, the Browns have wasted a season, would have likely been drafting a quarterback in 2023, and dealt with the growing pains of a young quarterback- all as their core players waste prime seasons.

And even then, who is to say the Browns get it right?

With this list of first-round quarterbacks drafted by the Browns- Tim Couch (who I excuse for being battered behind an awful offensive line), Brady Quinn, Brandon Weeden, Johnny Manziel, and Mayfield,  even considering the faith that I have in Andrew Berry, I would still have concerns about the Browns ability to get the right quarterback.

Another point to consider is how rarely proven quarterbacks that may be only beginning to enter their prime are traded.

I did some research on this and one can go all the way back to 1967 for a similar situation when the Minnesota Vikings traded 27-year-old Fran Tarkenton to the New York Giants.

That's once in fifty-five years!
It's clear to see that without the off-the-field issues, the Texans would have never traded DeShaun Watson and likely wouldn't have even considered trading him for the Browns' offer.

The Browns' offer consists of three first-rounders (2022, 23, and 24), a third rounder in 2023, and two fourth-rounders in 2022 and 2024. which sounds like a lot and it is- BUT-

The only huge loss is this year's first-rounder as at 13, the Browns might have been able to add either a young receiver or pass rusher, both of which are needed.

Both of the first-rounders in 2023 and 2024 are picks that you hope would be near the back half of the round, and the Browns still have a pick in the fourth round this year and the third round next year, so Cleveland isn't hit nearly as badly with the other picks as one would think.

If DeShaun Watson plays up to his previous standards, the package that is being sent to Houston is quite light for a quarterback that you expect to be elite for the next decade.

Compare the Browns payoff compared to Denver's for Russell Wilson and one could argue that they sent less for a higher-rated passer (although Wilson has won a Super Bowl) that is six years younger!

Cleveland traded three firsts to Denver's two firsts but didn't include a second-rounder (Denver traded their next two second-rounders) and while Cleveland traded two fourth-rounders and a third-rounder, Denver traded a fifth and three players.

Drew Lock was a 2019 second rounder quarterback and while he hasn't overwhelmed anyone with his play, Lock isn't a bad player to play for a year for rebuilding teams, Tight end Noah Fant was a first-round selection in 2019 and in three seasons has caught 170 passes, and veteran defensive end Shelby Harris had six sacks last season and is a solid if unspectacular starter.

A rough equivalent would be Cleveland keeping a few of those later picks but adding Case Keenum (if he was younger), David Njoku, and a defensive lineman similar to former Brown Larry Ogunjobi to the trade instead.

I think I would say Denver paid more for Wilson than Cleveland did for Watson.

When you wrap it all up, there are next to no football reasons to not acquire DeShaun Watson.

The problem is what made him available is what makes adding him questionable to some, so in our next Watson-related post, we will look at reasons why the Browns should not have made the trade and see how the two opinions stack up against the other.

Browns change DeShaun Watson's mind!

    In what can only be considered to be a stunning turn of events, Quarterback DeShaun Watson reversed his decision of the previous afternoon and waived his no-trade clause, and accepted the Cleveland Browns as his destination of choice to give the Browns arguably their best quarterback since Otto Graham and at least their best since the days of Bernie Kosar in the 80s.

The Browns will send Houston their first-round picks in the 2022, 23, and 24 drafts along with a third-rounder in 2023 and a fourth-rounder in 2024 in exchange for Watson and a 2024 fifth-rounder from the Texans.

Watson had eliminated the Browns from the four teams (also Saints, Falcons, and Panthers) that were attempting to acquire his services from the Texans Thursday afternoon but the Browns worked their way back into contention with an offer that signed Watson to a new five-year contract worth 230 million and the factor that likely changed the mind of Watson- fully guaranteed the contract.

The Browns were taking lots of heat for pursuing Watson and not landing him, which then caused Baker Mayfield to demand a trade,  and faced with a choice of starting a mediocre and disgruntled Mayfield or having to start a free agent from a group that wasn't a major improvement on even Mayfield, the Browns acted decisively and took the risk of acquiring one of the top quarterbacks in the league.

Considering that the Browns were catching hell for going after Watson, getting even more for not getting him, and maybe most of all for upsetting Baker Mayfield and the "Baker Bros" for either the "Disrespect" (Mayfield fans) or "looking to upgrade" (Browns fans).

That could have caused the Browns front office (Andrew Berry) and even more likely Jimmy Haslem to I don't really want to use this term but it fits, panic about the team being in major chaos that could last throughout the season should they have to play Mayfield all season, and go back to Watson in desperation and more than likely offer the full guarantee that changed his mind.

Watson likely downgraded the Browns a bit because of the colder weather and Watson's personal connections to both the Falcons and Panthers but comparing the Browns roster to those teams (and the other contender in New Orleans) as a likely championship contender ( with the addition of Watson) along with the new guaranteed contract were the top factors in changing the mind of Watson and bringing him to Cleveland.

While panic is a harsh word, I don't mean it in a completely negative manner.

The Browns know that in a conference that has quarterbacks that go possibly ten-deep in better quarterbacks than the one they have.

Sidebar: So you believe I'm biased against Mayfield?  Tell me which of these players that Baker Mayfield is superior to?

For the purpose of this and since he didn't play last season and wasn't returning to Houston, I didn't add Watson to this list.

No way in hell category: Mahomes (Kansas City), Herbert (LA Chargers), Wilson (Denver), Burrow (Cincinnati), Allen (Buffalo)

Better but not elite: Carr (Las Vegas), Jackson (Baltimore),

Younger but better upside: Lawrence (Jacksonville), Jones (New England)

Comparable: Tannehill (Tennessee) Trubisky (Pittsburgh) before you scream about Trubisky, he did take the Bears to the playoffs twice and with better kicking would have won a playoff game- the same total as Baker Mayfield.

That leaves Mayfield in either tenth, eleventh or twelfth (depending on the person choosing) and over only two young unproven quarterbacks with bad supporting casts (Zach Wilson Jets and Davis Mills (Houston), one young quarterback that hasn't impressed me (Tua Tagovailoa Miami) and for now the vacancy with the Colts.

Under those circumstances and especially with five of the top seven quarterbacks under thirty and another (Carr) only thirty, the Browns had to feel the need to do something and do it quickly in order to compete for championships.

So Watson taking Cleveland off his list had to have placed the Browns in full action mode in what to do.

They had these choices- Keep Mayfield and the drama that would surely follow for 2022 and look for someone new for 2023.

Move Mayfield and settle for a stopgap like Jimmy Garroppolo or Marcus Mariota and renew the search in 2023

Or try to change the mind of Watson and grab a quarterback that ranks with the elite.

Under those circumstances, the move was a clear and decisive move by the Browns.

One would have to assume that Watson will miss some time in 2022 as he will likely be suspended for what I would guess to be four to eight games for his off-the-field issues and civil court cases leaving the Browns in search of a second-string quarterback.

Who the backup quarterback will be as important as that player will likely be the Browns starter for a period of time that will likely decide possibly the AFC North title and even home playoff games, so I'm interested to see who the Browns are looking for.

I kinda like Marcus Mariota as someone that resembles Watson's playing style and could get the Browns through a likely Watson suspension.

I'll likely deal with the risks that come with DeShaun Watson in a future post but without his background problems, a quarterback with his talent and his age (Baker Mayfield is actually six months older), Watson would have never been available for a trade without those situations.

Teams don't trade franchise-level quarterbacks without a reason and Watson instantly slots into the Mahomes, Burrow, Herbert, Allen category as elite and young enough to give the Browns a decade of not having to worry about the quarterback position.

I plan on doing a post (or two) on why this trade was a great idea and why it could backfire over the next few days and although I do have some concerns, which I will address in those posts, it is very difficult to complain about the football end of this trade.

Back later with the evening's boxing challenge. 

Houston Texans- The Power of the Pulpit

   The schedule for the Cavaliers and Devils thus far have rarely intersected with the good news for that being that I have been able to watch both teams often.

The bad news is that I haven't had as much time to write other pieces or clean the inbox, so I'm trying to make time today with the situation in Houston.

These two articles from Sports Illustrated, Here and Here, are about the almost-cult-like conditions surrounding the franchise and how they have placed themselves on the verge of losing the greatest offensive player in franchise history.

My nephew, Jeff Heimberger has been a Houston Texans fan since the franchise was created, but the craziness down in Houston that seems to revolve around a fellow named Jack Easterby has Jeff questioning his fandom and considering a move to another team.

Easterby is a former team chaplain and relationship coach that has maneuvered his way all the way into personnel involvement and the only person that the Texans owner, Cal McNair, will listen to on almost any team issue.

Jeff has been telling me about Easterby for months, but I only knew a little about the situation until recently when Easterby has seemingly been heavily involved (when the Texans insisted that he would not) in the Texans hiring their general manager (Nick Caserio, an Easterby pal from his New England days) and coach ( Ravens passing game coordinator David Culley) with Easterby reported to be key in the hiring process.

Caserio is regarded well in the league, but so many of the Patriot gang has struggled after leaving Foxboro and as for Culley, I've never heard his name even rumored for a head coaching job, his last job was passing game coordinator for a team that finished last in passing, will be 66 years old when the season starts and missed a game last season due to illness.

While Culley appears to be one of the strangest coaching hires in quite a while, the lack of personnel currently on the Texans and the decision-making under Bill O'Brien is astoundingly awful which has left the Texans talent-light except for a few stars and having traded multiple high picks.

The O'Brien/Easterby crew has created a franchise that has little ability to add talent around DeShaun Watson if he could be convinced to stay and might have to trade one of the top quarterbacks in the game in his prime to add talent that the team needs.

In other words, the Texans are cornered- keep Watson, and other than offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil and an aging J.J. Watt, Houston has no top-level players and look to be at the bottom of the league for quite a while.

Trade Watson and you've lost a player that rarely comes along at quarterback, plus considering how the personnel department has operated with Jack Easterby around, can you feel confident that the team will get the incoming picks right?

After all, Easterby is the person that was behind the trading of Deandre Hopkins and a fourth-rounder to the Cardinals for a past his prime, David Johnson, a second and fourth-rounder with the second-rounder going to the Rams for Brandon Cooks, a lesser receiver, so if he's involved in personnel there are plenty of doubts.

This seems like one of those sports stories that we will find out the complete story of this down the road in what may make a very interesting book, but from what I've read Jack Easterby sure seems like a televangelist that preaches one thing and behaves differently once a back is turned.

One thing is for sure- the Houston Texans have a mess on their hands that might the worst that the NFL has seen in a while.

It's one thing to have little talent, and even lacking high draft picks, but to have both problems with a Jack Easterby in charge?

Pro sports may not have seen a mess this bad since Ted Stepien ran the Cleveland Cavaliers into the ground in the 1980s...

Browns return to reality- Texans win 29-13

The Cleveland Browns returned to reality after a week filled with smack talk, longshot playoff chatter and attitude as the Houston Texans showed the Browns the difference between contenders and pretenders in a 29-13 Houston win.

Baker Mayfield threw for 397 yards, but only for one score and threw three interceptions in the first half to put the Texans far ahead and never threatened thereafter.
Jarvis Landry caught six passes for 103 yards as the offensive standout.
Cleveland drops to 4-7-1 with the loss and will host Carolina next Sunday.

Brownie Bits

1) The Houston Texans had won eight games in a row and this game was in their stadium.
The last thing that the Browns needed to do was to be talking about how "dangerous" their rookie quarterback was and how "cookie cutter" he is not.
The Browns seemed to think that snapping their road losing streak meant all was well on the road period.
Houston is too good of a team to do that against and the gap between the teams showed,

2) Baker Mayfield still has things to learn off the field with all this yakking from a then 4-6-1 team.
J.J. Watt commented after the game that "Mayfield probably wasn't feeling too dangerous in the first half, probably a little more so in the second".
By that time, however, the game was determined.
Sometimes, you are better off being a little quieter as the week goes on.

3) Still, Baker is a rookie and he'll learn some things as he develops.
His first half was bad with three interceptions and forcing passes as well, but in garbage time in the second half, he looked much better with his one touchdown and even though the Texans were in underneath mode, he was smart enough to take what was given.
Part of the development of a young quarterback.

4) DeShaun Watson has a chip on his shoulder when the Texans play the Browns.
Watson, you may remember, feels that the Browns told him that they would draft him if he was available and did not entering the 2017 draft.
For the second time in two games, Watson seemed especially motivated and even though his numbers don't look special on paper (1 TD 0 Int), Watson was poised and looks to be the real deal in Houston.

5) Even though the Texans moved the football consistently during the game, give the Browns defense credit in allowing just one defensive touchdown.
The Texans being able to move the ball led to five field goals, which allowed the game to be lopsided but could have ended far worse.

6)  Antonio Callaway showed how he could impact a game and he showed that work still needs to be finished as he caught what would have been a 77-yard reception as he neared the goal line and then fumbled.
Callaway showed toughness in breaking an attempted tackle to run away from the defense, yet he clearly slows up a bit and didn't have the ball secured when a Texan neared him.
This happens more than it should in football, but hopefully, young players learn.
Callaway also caught a 71-yard touchdown that was called back due to a holding penalty on Greg Robinson.

7) The Browns defense was put in such a position because they could not stop the run.
Houston rushed for 187 yards, just under five yards a carry and 103 of those to Lamar Miller and the Browns were generally helpless against the Houston ground game.
Some of that might have been an in-game injury to Larry Ogunjobi, but that certainly wasn't all of the problems in stopping the run.

8) I wouldn't be too worried about Nick Chubb's 31-yard day.
With the Browns falling behind big early, the opportunities weren't there for him to ground and pound (nine carries) and Chubb did score a touchdown, so let's consider the circumstances for this game.

9) Denzel Ward left the game with a second-quarter concussion to further weaken an already battered secondary.
No word on Ward for next week of course, but it's an entirely different secondary without Ward.

10) One difference between these two teams and it's an indictment of past drafts is the speed aspect.
Houston was much faster from the top of the roster and especially matching their skill players against the Cleveland defense.
That will take another draft or two and I believe that will happen- take a look at the Chiefs that John Dorsey drafted to back that point up, but Cleveland is still at least another year away from catching up in depth at least.

11) The Browns are the team being talked about as being the possible team to claim Kareem Hunt after Hunt was released by Kansas City after a domestic violence video was released from last winter.
Cleveland is mentioned because John Dorsey drafted Hunt and Hunt is from the area.
Should the Browns decide to make that claim, they will be hit with backlash and rightfully so.
However, the Browns are in a unique position to give this a try, should they decide the player's talent is worth the public relations hit and here's why.
John Dorsey drafted him, Dorsey has a lot of goodwill built up in the area so far and should Dorsey decide to spend some of that on Hunt, that may reduce blowback in Northeast Ohio at least.
Hunt also is from the area and sometimes people are a little more forgiving with one of their own.
I'm not saying that the Browns would or even should claim Hunt, but they might be the one team that can make that the decision and have a little less heat for it.

12) Mike McCarthy was fired by the Packers after their loss at home to the lousy Cardinals and immediately became the talk of being the choice of the Browns.
Ryan (my Packer contact) has been complaining about McCarthy for years and frankly, I don't really want Baker Mayfield in a pure West Coast offense.
I'm not saying Mike McCarthy would be at the bottom of my list for Browns coaching candidates, but he sure isn't anywhere near the top.

13) I suppose the playoff talk is finished now and it should be.
Now the goal will be to win out and finish with a winning record, is that possible?
Yes. Likely? No.
I see the Browns going 2-2 at best.
I think next week's game against 6-6 Carolina at home to be a possible win, but not one to count on.
The inconsistent Panthers have played at both ends of the spectrum this season, but they have their own playoff situation to worry about.
Who knows which Panther team arrives, but the Browns have a chance.

I thought earlier this season that the Browns visit to Denver was a possible win, but the Broncos have caught their wind with three wins in a row (two of them over the Chargers and Steelers) and narrow losses to the Texans (by two) and the Chiefs (by seven) and are suddenly in contention.
All things considered, I'd say the Browns lose that one in Denver.

The Browns final home game is the one that I feel good about a victory in as they host the same Bengal team that they just dominated in Southern Ohio.
Considering that team lost their starting quarterback for the season, I think the Browns win that and end the home season right.

The wrapup in Baltimore may not go as well with the Ravens fighting for the playoffs and maybe John Harbaugh's job.
Combine that with the Ravens playing well and a revenge factor for their loss in Cleveland and
Baltimore should be favored, although the Browns could be in a position to ruin their season too.

Let's call it 5-10-1 or 6-9-1.

I'll try to make it back later with another post...

The Case for and against DeShaun Watson

One night after the Clemson Tigers led by quarterback DeShaun Watson upset the Alabama Crimson Tide,the drumbeat began from Cleveland Browns fans-Is the conqueror of Alabama,our guy and the future of the Cleveland Browns under center?

I'll offer a pro and con look at DeShaun Watson before I give my take at the end of the post.
Keep in mind that this is before the post season all-star games and of course the combine,so I'm reserving the right to change my mind...

The Case for the Browns to take Watson

The Cleveland Browns are in need of a quarterback and here is the best quarterback from the college ranks that knocked one of the best teams (thought of before the game) in college football history off and happens to be sitting there for the Browns in a season that they hold two of the top twelve picks in the draft.
Watson gives you decent size (6'2),good speed and has ability to get out of the pocket and make plays with his feet.
Watson has a good arm and some ability to get the ball downfield and not even his worst detractors would knock his leadership abilities or his smarts (graduated in 2 and a half years).
DeShaun Watson is a proven winner,is the most plug and play of the quarterbacks in this draft and might be the top rated of all quarterbacks.

The Case for the Browns to pass on Watson

DeShaun Watson doesn't have great size and tends to run first instead of staying in the pocket.
Watson's arm isn't a cannon and he isn't always accurate when throwing the deep ball.
Even at his best,the Watson accuracy can be erratic from medium to long range,so that is a concern.
Watson's NFL comps range from a bigger Russell Wilson to a more mobile Drew Brees to a Robert Griffin/Colin Kaepernick style that might have been better suited to solve NFL defenses five years ago than the current defenses that have almost made those types of quarterbacks and the systems best suited for them obsolete.
Are you satisfied with using a first round pick,especially the first overall on a player that doesn't figure to be a franchise quarterback?


My Answer
I'm vehemently against taking DeShaun Watson with the first pick in the draft.
To me that would be a huge reach and taking a quarterback for the sake of taking one.
I'm not sure I like Watson at 12 either,but I'm a little more open to him (or any other QB) at that point in the draft.
Honestly,with so many holes on this team,I want the best player on the board and if that means that the Browns don't take a QB until round two or even round three,I would be OK with that.
I want playmakers on either side of the ball and if I (or the Browns) are not convinced that Watson (or any other QB) can be such,then I have no problem waiting a round or two for a perceived lesser quarterback.
My answer is as follows (for now before all the pre-draft stuff)
No at 1,maybe,but lean no at 12,highly consider at 33 depending on who would be there/
It's entirely possible that Watson doesn't make it to 12,quarterbacks are often overdrafted and with several teams between 1 and 12 with a quarterback need,it's arguably even likely Watson isn't there at 12.
All things considered,if the Browns must take DeShaun Watson with the first pick in the draft-I can live without him....