Browns Players Speak Out After Deshaun Watson's Uninspiring Start to Season
The Cleveland Browns opened the 2024 NFL season with a ton of hype only to deflate the fanbase right out of the gate. Despite having a raucous Cleveland crowd in attendance at the newly named Huntington Bank Field, the Browns failed to send their supporters home happy as they fell 31-17 to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1.
While several Browns are to blame for the loss, quarterback Deshaun Watson is (unsurprisingly) at the center of the criticism. The $230 million man struggled to begin his third season with the franchise, going only 24-for-45 (55.3%) in the pocket for 169 passing yards with one touchdown to two interceptions and a 51.1 passer rating.
It's easy to beat up on Watson following that stinker, however, that hasn't stopped his Browns teammates from coming to his defense.
Browns News: Deshaun Watson Receives Teammates' Support Following Week 1
On Monday, a pair of Browns came out to reveal that they won't let Watson be thrown under the bus. Veteran safety Rodney McLeod described the veteran quarterback as "a warrior" who was grieving the recent deaths of his father and a former teammate, who both passed away over the weekend, per Browns insider Daryl Ruiter.
#Browns S Rodney McLeod also called Deshaun Watson "a warrior" and praised Watson's resilience Sunday in the wake of dealing with the loss of his father on Friday as well as a former teammate and friend Saturday
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) September 9, 2024
The deaths of loved ones are rarely easy to handle, so it's understandable why McLeod believes Watson deserves a bit more compassion.
Browns running back Jerome Ford also revealed that the locker room hasn't lost any faith in Watson's abilities despite any struggles. According to Camryn Justice of WEWS, Ford was also inspired by how Watson handled adversity in Week 1, whether that was dealing with a hand injury or fighting "for those extra yards."
#Browns RB Jerome Ford on Deshaun Watson's leadership in the huddle: "He was a warrior. Hand bleeding...even when we're down... just seeing him work, seeing him fight for those extra yards...it just shows you what kind of guy he is."
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) September 9, 2024
While it's important to support teammates during tough times, one has to wonder how many more excuses are left every time Watson fails to live up to his contract value.
When Watson underperformed in 2022, the excuse was that his 11-game suspension prevented him from building chemistry with his teammates. Whenever he struggled in 2023, the excuse was that he was playing with a banged-up shoulder that ultimately sidelined him for the majority of the season.
Regardless of what's going on with his off-field life, Watson must find a way to prove that he's worth the $174 million in cap space he's set to occupy across the next three seasons. He's hardly lived up to his mega contract thus far, only leading the Browns to an 8-5 record while tallying 2,386 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, two interceptions, and a 51.1 passer rating in just 13 games.
Hopefully, Watson gets his head straight as soon as possible because the Browns can't win a Super Bowl with a distracted QB. For now, the team will turn its attention to a Week 2 road matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are coming off a 20-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
Oddsmakers aren't feeling too confident about Cleveland potentially bouncing back, though. The Browns are projected to enter Week 2 as the 3.5-point road underdogs to the Jaguars, per FanDuel Sportsbook.
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