Ranking every NFL team’s quarterback situation ahead of summer offseason program

22. Cleveland Browns
Projected Starter: Deshaun Watson

Similar to the Broncos, the Cleveland Browns are saddled with a quarterback situation that is far from envious. Ignoring the allegations against Deshaun Watson (which is incredibly hard), his on-field play left much to be desired. His 38.3 QBR is by far the worst of his career. Sure, he was coming back from a year and a half away from football, but it looked like he legitimately looked lost. It wasn’t like he didn’t have time to learn the system.

There are some stats that are incredibly concerning. The six yards per attempt chief among them. Watson seemed tentative in his process. We don’t want to use the word scared, but there was a hesitance to Watson’s game that cannot happen in 2023.

The contract the Browns signed Watson to will be a killer if he doesn’t perform as he did in Houston. He’s only 28 years old, so it’s hard to believe he could have just lost the ability to play quarterback at an elite level. However, it’s worth the conversation. After two years of constant allegations and negative speech, Watson might be fried mentally. That could impact his career on the field.

Nobody feels bad for Watson. A controversial figure like this needs to perform on the field. He didn’t. With a fully guaranteed contract, the Browns desperately need him too.