Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is a proven star in the NFL, but he isn’t always an MVP on the microphone. He displayed that once again this week at Browns training camp, making comments about his suspension and overall treatment by some fans and members of the media.
Watson was acquired by the Cleveland from the Houston Texans in 2022 after he returned from a year-long suspension. Watson had been sued by more than two dozen female massage therapists for sexual harassment and sexual assault. Following the trade, Cleveland signed their new quarterback to a five-year contract worth $230 million, one of the largest contracts in NFL history
Unfortunately for the Browns, Watson was injured in the middle of a 2023 playoff run and ruled out for the season. Since his return, he’s been sharp on the field, but he’s still showing a lack of judgment off of it.
Browns QB Never at a Loss for Words
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When a reporter asked the Browns QB about the differences between coming into training camp this season, in comparison to his first two years with Cleveland. Watson could have soft-pedaled a polite answer and gone on to the next question. Instead, he decided to open up…. and it didn’t play well with the room.
“Honestly, it’s really just blocking out all the bull—- outside,” Watson said, according to USA Today writer Mike Freeman. “Stuff coming in two years, different environment, different team, different all that. So, you come in and your character is being mentioned this way and it kind of flips on you and you’re trying to get people to like you or improve. But now it’s like, at the end of the day, it’s two years in and if you don’t like me or you have your own opinion, it is what it is.”
Pushing aside the multiple allegations against him for sexual abuse, Watson seemed almost defiant. He followed up by discussing his character and how he felt he was being incorrectly labeled.
“My character was being challenged,” he continued. “Like I said, I know who I am. A lot of people never really knew my history or knew who I really was, so they’re going based off other people’s opinions and whatever other people are saying.”
“I’m a person that likes to have people like me and I feel like a lot of people are like that. So, sometimes things in your brain, you’ve just got to churn and you’ve got to just be like, ‘Forget it.’ It is what it is.”
What’s the Outlook for Deshaun Watson?
Despite his off-field issues, Deshaun Watson remains an elite talent in the NFL. While he has seemingly been in The League forever, the Browns starting quarterback is still just 28 years old. If he can shake off his distractions, he could still be the type of force that could lead the team on a playoff push in 2024.
While he probably won’t match the type of numbers he put up in Houston (especially running the ball), he’s got plenty of experience, a strong arm, and can make plays based just on his athleticism. At times with the Texans, he was counted on to be the majority of the team’s offense. With Cleveland, however, he is working in a more controlled system, with plenty of offensive options around him.
If Watson manages to stay healthy throughout the 2024 season, the Browns could challenge for the AFC North against the powerful Baltimore Ravens. More than likely, however, they will settle into a wild card spot. Once again, it all falls on the arm – and attitude – of their quarterback and team leader.
The Browns (11-6 in 2023) will kick off the 2024 NFL season on Sept. 8 by hosting the Dallas Cowboys (12-5).
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