Could Browns start Jacoby Brissett over Deshaun Watson later this season?

The Cleveland Browns would be 3-0 on the season if not for a stunning late-game collapse at home in Week 2 against the New York Jets. That's an impressive feat considering journeyman backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett is filling in for starter Deshaun Watson as Watson serves his 11-game suspension related to allegations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions. 

As things stand today, Watson won't be eligible to make his Browns regular-season debut until the Week 13 road contest at the Houston Texans, his former club, on Dec. 4. The 27-year-old hasn't taken a snap in a meaningful game since January 2021 because he sat the subsequent campaign out following an offseason trade request, and that's just one reason why Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio is now wondering if there's any scenario where Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski would consider keeping Brissett under center even when Watson is cleared to return to active duties. 

Florio suggests the Browns could get to 7-4 or even 8-3 through 11 games. Cleveland will play against the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers between Oct. 2 and the final day of November. The games against the Falcons, Ravens, Dolphins, and Bills are on the road, while the others will take place at FirstEnergy Stadium in downtown Cleveland. 

The Browns completed a blockbuster trade with the Texans to land Watson in March and then gave him $230 million fully guaranteed over five years. 

"Hopefully, they won’t turn to Watson simply because they gave up so much to get him, and because they endured so much scrutiny to have him on the team," Florio wrote of the Browns possibly benching Brissett if they have a winning record after the Week 12 matchup versus Tampa Bay. 

"What’s in the best interests of the team, sticking with the hot hand or inserting a quarterback who will have gone 700 days exactly between regular-season games?" Florio also asked. 

Per ESPN stats, Brissett will head into this weekend 13th among eligible quarterbacks with a 94.3 passer rating and 10th with a 62.8 total QBR. He's completed 66.3% of his passes and matched four touchdowns with a single interception.