It has been a season of frustration in Cleveland for the Browns and their fanbase who is starved for a successful season. The Browns front office took a huge risk in 2022 committing $230 million guaranteed to Watson, who is still owed nearly $146 million of that in 2026 and 2027. Watson was traded for in the midst of an 11-game suspension being served because of around 28 sexual harassment allegations against him.
The Browns, offsetting his suspension along with the cap, structured his contract so he would only be paid a little over $1 million a year. This meant they would not have to pay him the exorbitant cost of his contract while he was missing time, instead, they backloaded it. This would mean they would be paying a hefty amount for Watson, but their hopes were he would be playing at a high enough level to offset the cost. Well, in true Cleveland Browns fashion, it blew up in their face.
Watson up to yesterday’s game against the Bengals, had missed more games than he played, had fallen to the bottom of NFL ranks in terms of QB metrics, but was still collecting the guaranteed money from the organization. To put it lightly, the Browns’ Deshaun Watson gamble did not pay off. To put it frankly, the Browns made one of the worst ethical, administrative and contractual decisions any organization has ever made in the history of sports, and they’re paying the full price. Deshaun essentially quit on this team and in-turn the team quit on Deshaun. The proof is right there on the screen, too. Clips of Watson trying to help up his teammates only to have his hand batted away, players looking annoyed in the huddle at the appearance of Watson, and even Deshaun taking it upon himself to leave the field on a crucial 4th & goal down 24-3, forcing Kevin Stefanski to kick a field goal when he clearly wanted to go for it.
It looked as if Watson lost his love for the game, and the Browns fans certainly lost their love for Deshaun. In the midst of a losing effort yesterday to the Cincinatti Bengals, Watson went down with a leg injury that required a cart to assist him off the field. Upon replay, you could see the ripple of a ruptured Achilles travel up Watsons right leg as he attempted to push forward in the pocket. A gruesome injury that you never want to see any player suffer. But Browns fans seemed delighted to see Watson go down as they could sense an impending quarterback change as you could audibly hear the hometown crowd cheering while Watson was down writhing in pain.
Third-string QB Jameis Winston expressed his displeasure with browns fans after the game saying, “The way I was raised, I was taught to love. No matter the circumstances,” Winston said, via Cleveland 19 News. “Especially for people who do right by you. I am very upset to the reaction to a man that has had the world against him for the past four years. And he put his body and life on the line for this city every single day. Regardless of your perception. Regardless of what you thought should have happened with him, he committed every single day that I’ve been here to be the best that he can be for this team. The way I was raised, I would never pull a man when he’s down. But I will be the person to lift him up.”
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