The Cleveland Browns’ quarterback saga continues to unfold, with Deshaun Watson’s injury-plagued tenure elevating severe questions concerning the staff’s future.
Since signing his large $230 million totally assured contract, Watson has failed to finish greater than seven video games in any season.
Now sidelined for the rest of this yr, he stays contractually certain to the Browns by 2026.
In Watson’s absence, Jameis Winston has stepped into the highlight, delivering two pivotal victories in opposition to AFC North rivals Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
These wins have sparked a rising debate amongst followers and analysts about Watson’s function because the franchise quarterback, with some suggesting his time as a starter needs to be over.
Bleacher Report’s employees pulled no punches of their evaluation:
“Deshaun Watson ought to by no means play one other snap for Cleveland. The Browns are caught with the cash and the crippling cap hits. That value is sunk deeper than the Andrea Doria. It was the one worst personnel transfer in NFL historical past,” Bleacher Report employees mentioned.
The Thursday evening victory over Pittsburgh supplied a glimpse of hope for a fanbase weathering one other difficult season.
Although the 2024 Browns have confronted their share of adversity, Winston’s management has introduced renewed optimism.
The 24-19 win demonstrated the staff’s potential, even amid ongoing struggles.
Winston’s efficiency in opposition to the Steelers wasn’t flashy – finishing 18 of 27 passes for 219 yards with an interception – however it showcased his functionality as an NFL starter.
His regular presence may present the proper transition because the Browns doubtless eye a rookie quarterback within the 2025 draft.
Whereas Watson’s substantial contract continues to impression the staff’s monetary flexibility, the trail to competition is probably not as distant because it as soon as appeared.
The distinction between Watson’s restricted availability and Winston’s current success has solely intensified the scrutiny of the Browns’ entrance workplace choice.
That assured cash, unprecedented in NFL historical past, now looms massive over the group’s future plans, serving as a continuing reminder of a big gamble that has but to repay.
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