Deshaun Watson’s football legacy is on the line, and that’s a major reason the Cleveland Browns will advance contend for a berth in the AFC Championship Game, CBS NFL insider Jonathan Jones said.
“I do believe they will get above-average play from that man right there, No. 4, Deshaun Watson,” Jones said on Wednesday’s season-preview edition of That Other Pregame Show. “Because his career depends on it. Not his financials, but his legacy. His legacy on the football field depends on him finally returning to some type of form.”
If “some type of form” is defined as even half of what Watson did for Houston from 2017-20, Jones and most observers see a dominating Browns defense carrying the team. Watson was so good over his first four years – leading the Texans to playoff berths in 2018 and ’19 — that his 104.5 career passer rating after the 2020 season ranked second in NFL history at the time, behind Patrick Mahomes (108.7) and just ahead of Aaron Rodgers (103.9).
Led by coordinator Jim Schwartz and Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, Cleveland led the NFL in yards allowed per game (270.2), third-down efficiency (29.13) and fourth-down efficiency (40.00) last season.
NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski navigated the Browns to the postseason after starting five quarterbacks, something no team had ever accomplished. But no one in Cleveland wants that stress again this year, when they’re finally hoping to get the best version of Watson.
Jones also noted Watson and the Browns have a much tougher schedule than 2023, especially a murderer’s row over their last five games: at Pittsburgh, home vs. Kansas City, at Cincinnati, home vs. Miami and at Baltimore.
“But they are going to be battle-tested and ready for January because of that impossible stretch,” Jones said.
If they don’t, as Conor Orr said on this week’s MMQB NFL Podcast, the Browns would be in the middle of a conversation on the worst trades in NFL history.
Cleveland’s journey begins Sunday against Dallas (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX) in front of the Dawg Pound. Keep an eye on each team’s starting left tackle, where Micah Parsons figures to get Jack Conklin, and Garrett is expected to get Cowboys rookie Tyler Guyton, who’s looking forward to his first assignment.
Also Thursday, after the Browns entered an agreement to name their stadium Huntington Bank Field, Ben Fischer of the Sports Business Journal reported Thursday that Huntington Bank will also adorn the Browns’ planned new stadium.