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Deshaun Watson’s first two years with the Cleveland Browns haven’t been great. He hasn’t played well, and he’s missed a lot of games.
The Browns traded a lot for him.
Cleveland sent three first-round picks to the Houston Texans to get Watson. They also gave him a huge contract: five years, $230 million, fully guaranteed. But so far, it hasn’t paid off.
Watson has struggled with consistency on the field and has had trouble staying available. In 2022, he missed 11 games due to suspension related to multiple allegations of sexual assault. The following year, he only played six games because of a shoulder injury that needed surgery. He’s expected to be ready for Week 1 this season, with his legal issues behind him.
So, what can we expect from Watson in 2024? Will he be like the star quarterback who led the NFL in passing yards in 2020? Or will he continue to struggle as he did with Cleveland, completing just 59.8% of his passes? Football analyst Warren Sharp suggests the latter is more likely with an eye-opening stat.
highest rate of red zone incompletions due to inaccurate passes:
60% – Deshaun Watson
59%
58%
57%
56%
55%
54%
53%
52%
51%
50% – Mac Jones
49%
48%
47%
46%
45% – Joshua Dobbs
44%
43%
42% – Sam Howell, Gardner Minshew
41%
40% – Daniel Jones
39% – Kenny Pickett, Desmond Ridder
38% -…— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) July 6, 2024
According to Sharp, Watson has the highest rate of red zone incompletions due to inaccurate throws among quarterbacks with at least 150 regular-season attempts. The gap between him and the next quarterback, Mac Jones, is significant.
This isn’t good news for Browns fans or anyone in the organization. It highlights why Cleveland’s offense has often performed better with veteran backups like Joe Flacco and Jacoby Brissett since Watson joined.
To get back to his top form, Watson needs to cut down on his errant passes significantly. The Browns’ success largely depends on him after such a big investment. Despite these issues, Cleveland managed an 11-6 record in 2023 and made it to the playoffs—thanks mainly to head coach Kevin Stefanski and their strong defense.
Watson’s performance will be crucial for Cleveland’s future success.
