The Cleveland Browns offseason is starting to have some clarity at least in the most important ways. Tommy Rees has been hired as the team’s new offensive coordinator, HC Kevin Stefanski is reportedly running the show in the search for the new quarterback, the Browns have a lot of rollover cap coming this offseason and Myles Garrett could be setting a record with a new contract extension.
The end of the Deshaun Watson era also seems upon us. From a scathing article detailing all the problems to Denzel Ward noting the position needs addressing, Watson’s second Achilles tear has opened up options for Cleveland.
After agreeing to a reworked deal this offseason, Watson’s second surgery opened up a couple of possibilities for the Browns. First, there are multiple reports that the team has insured his contract in a way that will help the salary cap this year and next. Second, speculation (both locally and nationally) has been that the team could possibly void Watson’s deal if he wasn’t following protocols when he was reinjured.
On “The Ross Tucker Podcast,” former Green Bay Packers executive Andrew Brandt noted a silly reason the team may not do that: Reputation(!!):
While Brandt is a well-respected former exec and current college professor, Cleveland’s reputation has nowhere to go but up at this point, mostly due to Watson. At worst, it is one more nail in the coffin of the huge mistake that trading for and signing Watson was. At best, the Browns are lauded for their guts for taking a step once they got lucky with Watson making a mistake.
Where Brandt’s comment does make sense is that owner Jimmy Haslam has been known to take public perception as a part of his decision-making.
At this point, everything is still speculation. We don’t have a clear idea of how Watson reinjured himself and whether the team can prove he violated his contract in doing so.
