The Browns cannot keep playing Deshaun Watson and acting like it’s a good idea.
The Cleveland Browns seem perfectly content with torpedoing the 2024 season if sticking with quarterback Deshaun Watson is really the team’s plan.
That might seem dramatic, but Cleveland refusing to bench Watson even after his generationally bad play on the football field feels like an act of defiance against football logic and reason.
Sure, the team is going to take a punch to the stomach whenever it does decide to cut ties with the quarterback. That much is certain. However, that shouldn’t dictate how the Browns go about trying to field a winning product.
Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski’s Monday argument that Watson “gives us the best chance to win” (per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones) feels like jaw-dropping defiance to the glaring truths facing this team.
It feels like Stefanski is stuck giving the company line from team ownership, a group horrified at publicly admitting that trading the farm for such a morally compromised, injury-prone player like Watson and giving said player a once-in-a-lifetime contract was a really, really, really bad idea.
There are tons of football reasons you could use to justify why benching Watson is the right move for Cleveland. He is playing like one of the worst quarterbacks, if not the worst quarterback, in the NFL right now. The Browns are slipping further and further into the basement of the AFC North, too.
Remember: this Cleveland team made the playoffs last season with Joe Flacco playing quarterback. To argue that the Browns should throw this season on the wood stack and let it burn just to keep from admitting the Watson move was an all-time failure feels absolutely ridiculous. It risks losing the locker room, and it risks an empty Huntington Bank Field on Sundays. It’s a selfish move by a team whose historically losing ways are only predestined to the decisions made by those in charge.
The team has two quarterbacks, Jameis Winston and Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who would probably play better than Watson right now. Heck, even a free agent like Ryan Tannehill would probably do a much better job than what Watson is capable of putting on the field. Why should this Browns team pay the price of an unworkable quarterback tanking any chance Cleveland has at making anything from this season matter?
The only thing Watson give Cleveland the best chance of doing is picking first overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. At that point, we’re guessing team ownership has swallowed a very large pill by cutting its losses with Watson and is preparing to watch the team draft the quarterback of the future.
It’s only a matter of time before Cleveland is forced to hit the reset button as the chickens finally come to roost on the disaster that was the Watson trade. Whether the team decides to press that button now or in the offseason is up to debate. If the team refuses to cut Watson even by next offseason, buying a season ticket package for this football team should come with a surgeon general’s warning.
Whether Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry will be there to see any of this through is another question for another day. For now, Stefanski is trapped in giving unbelievable answers to obvious questions.
Until the Browns take Watson off the field for good, that’s life in Cleveland, a rudderless vessel hit by a cannonball, led by unconvincing captains ignoring the rush of water at their feet. Don’t blame the crew when they jump ship.
The Browns can’t trade Watson. They probably can’t cut him until 2026 — and even then, it’s a rough scene.
The Cleveland Browns thought they knew what they were getting into when they traded for Deshaun Watson. They knew about more than 20 accusations of sexual misconduct and what the NFL would later describe as “predatory behavior.” They also knew Houston officials declined to press charges in the matter and Watson was one of 2020’s best quarterbacks.
So, off-field exploits be damned, the Browns outbid most of the NFC South and shipped three first round picks, a third round selection and two fourth-rounders for a player team owner Jimmy Haslam deemed a franchise savior. They then handed him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract extension — an unprecedented amount that remains the largest fully guaranteed deal in league history. In that extension was language that chopped his 2022 base salary down to just $1 million, mitigating the fines related to the 11-game suspension the NFL levied before Watson could play a snap in Cleveland.
Watson is 9-9 as the Browns’ starting quarterback, which isn’t too bad against the backdrop of general Cleveland quarterbacking. That number looks a lot worse when you consider the team has played 40 games since acquiring him. And it looks absolutely wretched when you consider the defense he’s wasted en route to the least efficient start to any season this millennium.
Jamarcus Russell lost -63.8 total EPA on dropbacks in Weeks 1-6 in 2009.
It was the record low since at least 2000 before Deshaun Watson (-66.2) this season. https://t.co/nAMsZdfxRe
It’s impossible to truly illustrate how ineffective Watson has been. But if you need to see it in action, just understand Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles marked the second straight week the quarterback escaped a clear interception because the two defenders he failed to clock on a badly thrown pass mashed into each other.
There are mitigating factors at play. Cleveland’s offense has been without Nick Chubb, but Jerome Ford is averaging better than five yards per carry as the team’s fill-in lead back. Its offensive line play has been regrettable, but Watson’s 40 percent pressure rate is five points lower than his 2018 pressure rate as a Houston Texan — a season in which he threw 26 touchdowns to nine interceptions, led his team to 11 wins and was named a Pro Bowler. The circumstances aren’t great, but he’s been much better despite worse.
This is all tremendous for schadenfreude but terrible for the Cleveland Browns. The team is 1-5 and refuses to bench the high paid quarterback who keeps leading his team to new cliffs from which to plummet. Each post-loss press conference suggests the only way out is through, only for Watson to spelunk deeper and deeper into an abyss light hardly penetrates.
The simplest solution would be to bench a player who’s been worse than Jamarcus by-god Russell. The Browns signed Jameis Winston for this very reason. But Winston remains relegated to garbage time for the foreseeable future because Cleveland is trying to save a face it no longer has. Thanks to that — and the hasty decision making that led Watson to Ohio — it’s nearly impossible to offload the NFL’s least valuable player.
Here’s what the Browns have to contend with when it comes to their albatross quarterback.
Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Watson has unmovable dead salary cap hits of $172 million and $99.7 million the next two seasons
Watson’s massive extension, restructured this offseason to free up 2024 cap space that has so far gone untouched — Cleveland is $45 million under this year’s $255.4 million spending limit, second-most in the league per Over the Cap — shuffled some of his obligations around. The fact remains, however; this is a deal the Browns cannot escape in 2024. Or 2025. And 2026 is a very difficult sell.
Here’s how much Watson would take up in dead salary cap commitments if released any of the next three offseasons before June 1.
2025: $172,734,000
2026: $99,799,000
2027: $26,864,000
Cutting Watson next spring would eat up 63 percent of 2025’s estimated salary cap for a player who wouldn’t play a snap for the team. It would leave an average of $1.88 million in salary for the 53 players who remained. The league’s minimum is currently a shade under $800,000. Designating him a post-June 1 release knocks that number down to $119.9 million, which is better but still very, very bad.
2026 may be the exit year for Cleveland. The current record for largest dead cap hit is the $85 million the Denver Broncos ate to get rid of Russell Wilson. Watson’s near $100 million in commitments would top that, but might be acceptable for a team in dire need of moving forward. Per Over the Cap, things don’t get sunnier after June 1 — his dead cap number actually jumps to $118.9 million if he’s pegged for a summer release in 2026.
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
A trade is technically an option. It’s extremely unlikely
Seven years ago, the Browns net a second round pick by taking Brock Osweiler’s onerous contract off the Texans’ hands. But Osweiler had three years remaining on his contract at an average cost of $18 million annually — roughly 10.7 percent of the league’s $167 million salary cap in 2017. Only $37 million of his $72 million contract was guaranteed. Cleveland released him in the preseason and ate $16 million in the process, but it was a palatable decision.
Watson, on the other hand, is set to take up nearly 23 percent of his team’s salary cap space in 2025. An acquiring team wouldn’t take that full hit, but would still have to dedicate $46 million in space to the league’s worst quarterback in a deal. Unless the Browns are willing to ship out more first round picks just to get rid of Watson — and they really, truly, should not — the man is untradable.
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
The hidden cost is losing a two-time NFL Coach of the Year because his quarterback is garbage to the core and cannot be benched
Kevin Stefanski was the NFL’s coach of the year in 2020 when he pushed Baker Mayfield to the franchise’s first postseason win since 1994. He earned a second trophy in 2023 when his Browns rallied around Joe Flacco in an 11-win season after Watson was injured in Week 6.
Stefanski is 38-35 in the regular season as Cleveland’s head coach. He is the first Browns coach since Marty Schottenheimer to have a winning record. He is unlikely to remain that way if Watson remains his starting quarterback.
Given his ability to win with other passers, you’d think Stefanski would be open to a change. One of the league’s more respected head coaches wouldn’t purposefully handicap himself each week, which suggests the edict to keep Watson in the lineup comes from higher up. If Haslam wants his prized quarterback as the starter no matter what and there’s no easy way to escape Watson’s financial commitments, the easier decision here would be to fire his fifth-year head coach and install someone he thinks can fix a broken quarterback.
Of course, the most likely savior is probably the guy who guided Baker Mayfield to a postseason win one season after he threw 21 interceptions and made it back to the playoffs with a 38-year-old Joe Flacco signed off the street in November. Unfortunately, the Browns do not operate on sensibility or logic. They are an engine powered by stubbornness, frustration and a lack of foresight.
This is all to say some lucky team could wind up interviewing Stefanski for a job next January, where he’d be given a chance to make Trevor Lawrence a franchise quarterback once more or guide Aaron Rodgers to one last Super Bowl run. Watson is dragging down everything about Cleveland, from failing to create a cohesive offense to overtaxing a tired defense to teaching his head coach the definition of insanity.
That’s the on-field cost of keeping Deshaun Watson. Now the Browns have to weigh it against the actual, very real financial cost of getting rid of the league’s worst starting quarterback.
Best photos from Philadelphia Eagles 20-16 win over Cleveland Brown in Week 6
It wasn’t the prettiest win, but Philadelphia did enough to avoid an ugly post-bye week loss with a 20-16 victory over the 1-5 Browns in Week 6.
On defense, Vic Fangio’s unit held Cleveland to 244 total yards and 3-12 on third down. The Eagles’ rushing attack was stifled, but thanks to the return of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, Kellen Moore’s offense was able to amass 256 yards, passing 116 yards on the ground and explosive plays from their top two pass catchers.
With preparation for the NFC East opener against the Giants set to begin, here are the top photos from the big win.
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A new report suggests no pressure from ownership in the Browns’ decision to stick with their $230 million quarterback
The Cleveland Browns and head coach Kevin Stefanski, despite a league-worst output, have decided to stick it out with quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Many have thought ownership decided this, pressuring the head coach to make their $230 million investment work. However, Cleveland dot com’s Mary Kay Cabot has reported this may not be the case. In her latest Q&A, Cabot answers a question asking whether or not there is pressure from ownership to stick with Watson:
“No, Jimmy Haslam isn’t forcing Kevin Stefanski to play Deshaun Watson with the Browns at 1-4 and playoff hopes slipping away. Kevin Stefanski discusses big personnel decisions with GM Andrew Berry, the same way most NFL coaches do with their GMs. He also talks things over with Haslam and keeps him apprised on such monumental decisions. But the Browns would never force Stefanski to play someone that he didn’t want to play.”
Cabot then confirms what has already been reported over the last two and a half years since the trade as well: Haslam signed off on the trade, but it was general manager Andrew Berry who was at the forefront of the decision. He and Stefanski were in lockstep on that call.
With Watson struggling, how much longer will we see him under center for the Browns if it is truly Stefanski’s call? Could we see Jameis Winston against the Philadelphia Eagles if his struggles continue?
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has settled the lawsuit that was brought against him about a month ago. The terms of the settlement, however, are confidential according to the victim’s attorney Tony Buzbee.
The new lawsuit is still under NFL investigation, but now that Watson settled the lawsuit independently, there is reason to believe the NFL may also push this case to the back of their to-do list and consider the matter finished.
The Browns would have the opportunity to void the remaining guarantees in the contract of Deshaun Watson, who is the NFL’s worst quarterback right now, if he were to be suspended from this case by the league. That does not look likely to happen moving forward.
Until the NFL hands down its ruling on the matter, one that is certainly likely to be watered down with this settlement, we do not have a final answer though. From Watson’s side of things, however, this matter is concluded.
While the Clevland Browns quarterback woes continue with Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco is doing a fine job in Indianapolis.
Flacco started the season as the Colts’ backup quarterback behind the second-year gunslinger Anthony Richardson. After suffering a season-ending surgery last season, he finds himself again on the sideline while Joe Flacco lights it up for his team.
Flacco had a tremendous performance yesterday, completing 33 of his 44 passes with 359 yards and three passing touchdowns. Unfortunately, The Colts did not win, but that had little to do with how Joe Flacco performed. The former Browns quarterback has said that he was not offered a contract by Cleveland to return after his exciting stint in 2023.
While many Browns fans were pushing to resign the veteran, it was clear that Deshaun Watson would be the Browns starting quarterback once he returned from his injury. Despite being happy for the former Cleveland Brown, it’s difficult to watch our recent quarterbacks flourish while the Browns try to solve the issues theirs has.
And around and around and around and around we go.
The Cleveland Browns refuse to make a change at quarterback, sticking with Deshaun Watson despite an abysmal start to his 2024 season and an underwhelming tenure with the team.
After their humiliating loss to the Washington Commanders, a game they were blown out in by a score of 34-14, head coach Kevin Stefanski was asked about the status of Watson as his starting quarterback. The head coach reiterated the team’s commitment to Watson, placing the blame back on himself to right the ship on the offensive side of the ball.
Against the Commanders, Watson went a measly 15-of-28 passing for 125 yards and one garbage-time touchdown to tight end Jordan Akins. He was sacked seven times in this game, creating much of the pressure on his own.
Only two quarterbacks in the NFL has a lower Expected Points Added (EPA) per play than Watson, and one is Bryce Young who was benched by the Carolina Panthers. The other is Will Levis, who is on the verge of being benched by the Tennessee Titans.
His completion percentage above expected is also in the bottom part of the league. That showed in this game as Watson could not connect down the field and even missed a wide-open Amari Cooper on a boundary throw in this loss to the Commanders.
Deshaun Watson is at the bottom of the NFL in ESPN QBR. Lower than Young. Lower than Levis. So why on earth are the Browns supporting such abysmal quarterback play after going out and getting perhaps the best backup quarterback on the market in free agency?
Former NFL players have seen enough of Watson. Ryan Fitzpatrick advocated for Jameis Winston on X (formerly known as Twitter). Future Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski called for it on the halftime show on the FOX broadcast. Everyone is well aware of how Watson is playing.
Except for the Browns.
Maybe this is a call above the head coach’s head, but if Stefanski isn’t allowed to run his offense with a quarterback capable of it instead of catering to the NFL’s worst quarterback right now, then why would he even stay in his post?
The Browns need to figure it out fast as their season is already likely over. And the starting point seems like a pretty glaringly obvious one.
It was the play that left Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski in disbelief: with the Browns facing a fourth-and-goal from the 21, Deshaun Watson started walking off the field to take a delay of game penalty (and not a timeout).
Now, why did that happen? Turns out there was a perfectly good explanation that fans figured out: Watson realized there were too many players in the huddle, which meant the team was going to take a penalty anyway.
It’s a more logical explanation for what happened, but it’s an awful, sloppy moment in a season full of them for this disaster of a Browns team.
So, this is what happened. Watson realized too many players on the field in the huddle. You will see Cooper counting them as well. Watson knew they were not burning a second timeout. He's frustrated. Kevin is too. Walks over to his assistant coaches to say something. Gross stuff… pic.twitter.com/pOSKJb6Mw4
We had 12 men in the huddle. Watson isn’t good but he isn’t even the biggest issue: Bad coaching, bad play calling, bad execution by the entire offense, and the team has given up. it’s just time to wait until inevitably, the browns tear it down and try again https://t.co/sP1cUsjXKs
Until the Browns decide to move on, it is going to be more of the same.
How much longer can the Cleveland Browns keep the Deshaun Watson experiment alive?
Forget about the cap space, forget about the dead money, forget about the implications for a moment. How can head coach Kevin Stefanski continue to go into his locker room and look his veteran leaders in the eye as he trots out a quarterback they have little hope of building anything sustainable with offensively?
The veterans are going to quit. Perhaps they have already started to given the performance of wide receiver Amari Cooper and more. What incentive does defensive end Myles Garrett have to continue to play through injury? Why would Nick Chubb want to rush back onto the field if this is the product the Browns are going to put on the field?
After another abysmal showing against the Washington Commanders, how can Stefanski continue to put his job security on the line for Watson? Does he have a message from someone above him to stick with the quarterback he is becoming visibly and obviously upset with on the sideline?
It has not worked out with Watson. And someone will more than likely lose their job for it. But why does Stefanski have to make himself that martyr after running a fluent offense with a Day 3 rookie, a practice squad player, and a 40-year-old off the couch a year ago?
They will remain coy in their postgame press conference, but that locker room cannot be in a good place. And there is nothing the Browns can do about it to win it back until they start with their biggest mistake.
Their season is likely already over after a 1-4 start. Maybe they want to see it through with Watson at this point because the best that could happen is a shiny draft pick to potentially draft his heir apparent.
This, however, is a sure way to lose the respect of the veterans in the locker room and those who consume the product.
After being unable to find the end zone through the first three quarters, the Cleveland Browns finally scored to cut the lead to 34-13. Quarterback Deshaun Watson connected with tight end Jordan Akins for a 10-yard completion on a 4th-and-seven attempt for their first touchdown of the day.
This game was over quickly, with the Commanders taking a 31-6 lead in the third quarter, but Cleveland managed a garbage-time score to find some sort of positive. Running back Jerome Ford rushed for 25 yards on the drive, including a 16-yard run for his longest of the day.
Watson completed all three passes on the drive for 22 yards, with the two biggest plays going to Akins. The Browns would have had their first third-down conversion of the game, but the Commanders committed a pre-snap penalty, giving them the needed yardage. Overall, poor offensive execution on first and second downs put Cleveland in tough third-down situations that were too difficult to overcome.
