It sure feels like things for the Cleveland Browns have hit the point where even home games might feature fans chanting for backup Jameis Winston while Deshaun Watson struggles.
Watson just turned in another lukewarm showing for the Browns, this time in a season debut after it had been hinted he was finally fully healthy and ready to go. In the 33-17 loss to Dallas, he managed a mere 169 yards and two interceptions on 45 attempts at 3.8 yards per attempt.
In the aftermath, even experts like ESPN’s Bill Barnwell have harsh criticism:
“You can only fool the players and fans for so long. Watson has now played 13 games in a Cleveland uniform, and it's becoming more and more clear with each start that this isn't working. He looks slow and uncomfortable in Kevin Stefanski's scheme, even as the offense has been shifted more toward his preference of working out of the shotgun.”
And like Barnwell goes on to point out, for a normal franchise and situation, the team might have already moved on from the head coach and the scheme that isn’t working. Watson is, after all, on that seemingly historically bad $230 million contract that still has a $172.7 dead cap number beyond 2024.
But…the scheme has worked for other quarterbacks, including a 39-year-old Joe Flacco last year, who also had to work without starting tackles and weapons, too.
So the thinking goes that perhaps the Browns will just take the humble route and sit Watson sooner rather than later because perhaps Winston will be the latest veteran who steps in and makes it all work.
The question is, how soon is too soon? And when it happens, will the hole already be too big to climb out of by the playoffs? And no, the Browns can’t just get out of Watson’s contract, either.
At some point, though, the historical financial implications might be more appealing than actually letting Watson out there as the starter.
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