As the Cleveland Browns head into Week 4, the calls to bench Deshaun Watson are growing louder, fueled by his continued struggles over the season’s first three weeks.
The Browns are 1-2 and Watson has posted the second-lowest QBR in the NFL among qualified passers, behind only the Carolina Panthers’ Bryce Young — the former No. 1 overall pick who is now benched.
Protecting Watson has been an issue. He’s been sacked a league-high 16 times and the New York Giants applied pressure on 36 snaps in the Browns’ 21-15 Week 3 loss.
However, it’s clear watching Watson that he’s no longer the Pro Bowl performer he was with the Houston Texans. His decision-making isn’t sharp, he often holds the ball too long, and a handful of passes have been wildly off-target.
The Browns are in a bind with his fully guaranteed $230 million contract, leaving them with limited options. Benching him would essentially signal surrender, acknowledging one of the worst trades in NFL history.
Despite Watson’s struggles, Browns beat reporter Zac Jackson of The Athletic doesn’t see that happening in the near future.
“There’s no way the Browns bench Watson for performance at any point soon,” Jackson said via The Athletic’s “Scoop City.” “Eventually? Well, nobody knows exactly what the future holds, but it’s becoming clear that Watson is now just an average quarterback who’s still trying to find a comfort level with his head coach and play caller.”
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Not Bothered by Criticism
Watson is feeling the heat from his critics amid the slow start. But the Browns QB has maintained that he’s not bothered by blame for the offense’s struggles.
“I mean, I probably have, but, you know, ‘to (whom) much is given, much is required,'” Watson said on Wednesday. “I’ve always lived by that on and off the field. When everything is going right, then you get the praise and when everything is going bad, you get the blame. So, it’s part of the NFL, it’s part of this position. So, to me, it doesn’t bother me. We just got to find ways to continue to get better each and every week.”
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has continued to back Watson, repeating that the whole offense needs to be in rhythm for things to work. With injuries on the offensive line, that hasn’t been possible.
“A confident quarterback is really with the entire offense doing their job. And I think it goes back to the messaging of you need all 11,” Stefanski said. “It’s not a one man show. So I think a confident quarterback really falls in line with a confident offense that trusts each other and moves the ball.”
Browns Opponents Are Keying on Deshaun Watson’s Weaknesses
The Browns’ problem is that their opponents are well aware of Watson’s struggles and now have three weeks of tape on him.
“The results haven’t been there yet. In talking with Cleveland’s opponents, they concede that, yes, protection is an issue. An inconsistent run game has been, too,” said Albert Breer of The Monday Morning Quarterback on Monday, September 23. “That said, his accuracy and footwork have been messy, and, at least to others, there seems to be a confidence issue now, too.”
Watson has now appeared in 15 games for the Browns, posting a 9-6 record as a starter with 2,768 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. The Browns need him to elevate his game and deliver at a higher level — and fast.
J.R. DeGroote covers the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Lakers for Heavy.com. He graduated from Arizona State and has decades of experience in digital media with previous stops at SBNation and Bleacher Report. He has won multiple state, regional and national honors for sports reporting and photography. More about J.R. DeGroote
