Deshaun Watson, not so long ago, was considered an elite quarterback, one capable of dazzling play and playoff wins.
But sexual misconduct allegations and a change of teams, shut down the buzz. The AFC is stacked with talented quarterbacks, hello Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. But you’ve got to go a long way down the list to find the Cleveland Browns starter.
That’s OK, he says.
“I missed two years of football, so I shouldn’t be in those rankings, to be honest,” Deshaun Watson told reporters this week. “If you’re asking me, I haven’t played ball. I haven’t played enough football the last few years to even be up there.
“So I got to go out there and prove and show what I got to do to get back in those conversations.”
Watson, the former Clemson star, played in only six games in 2022 as he served an 11-game NFL suspension. Two dozen women stepped forward and said Watson sexually assaulted or harassed them during massage therapy sessions. This happened while he was playing for the Houston Texans, as the pandemic unfolded. He also missed all of 2021. He led the NFL in passing in 2020 as he demanded a trade from the Texans.
The stats from 2022 weren’t nearly as impressive as his numbers were before. In six games, he threw for seven touchdowns and five interceptions. He completed only 58 percent of his passes for 1,102 yards.
Houston and Cleveland finalized a deal for Deshaun Watson, with the Browns sending the Texans three first-round draft picks. Plus, Cleveland signed Watson to a contract worth $230 million. He has an elite-level contract, but hasn’t seen much action since 2020.
His Browns play in the tough AFC North, with Burrow’s Bengals and Jackson’s Ravens. And Kenny Pickett, now in his second season, is turning heads in Steeler training camp.
“I’m self-driven,” Watson said. “I want to be the best I can be for Deshaun Watson. I can’t get caught up in the other guys and seeing what they’re doing and all of them are elite. If you’re a starting quarterback in this league, you’re pretty elite.
“This is a hard business,” he said. “This is a hard job to have and it’s only 32 spots. I feel like everyone’s elite and I got to be self-driven to be the best Deshaun Watson I can be for this team and for myself.”
The Browns finish their preseason schedule with a road date against Kansas City, the Super Bowl champion. Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski has indicated he’ll give his starters some extensive playing time.
More must-reads: