NFL 2024 season - Cleveland Browns team preview

Yahoo Sports' Jason Fitz and Frank Schwab discuss expectations for Deshaun Watson this season and whether the quarterback can reach elite status again with the Browns. Listen and subscribe to the “Zero Blitz” podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.

Video Transcript

Does Deshaun Watson have the yips is what I'm trying to say.

Is he a lost cause?

Like is it just, is it done?

And I, I think I err towards the side of yes, it's done.

Now, all he has to do is be as good as Flacco was and they'll win football games.

I I love their coaching.

I love their roster.

I think the Browns are super bowl caliber.

I don't think their quarterback is so they this year because they have no choice.

They will again run it back with Deshaun Watson.

But at some point, even though it costs too much money, they're gonna have to figure out what the future of the position looks like.

And I don't know if that means drafting somebody and just hoping that you can basically get through that rookie deal while you're overpay Deshaun at the end of this.

But this contract looks like arguably the worst ever given out in any sport at this point and the quarterback is washed.

So the hardest part if Deshaun Watson, if I even trust De Deshaun Watson to have mediocre quarterback played this year, I would be picking the Browns for the Super Bowl.

I can't trust that so I can't do that.

Yeah, and I, I do have the light on still for Deshaun Watson being a good quarterback.

Maybe I'm just talking myself into that.

And by the way, the caveats, we all got to say I'm not vouching for him as a human being or anything like that.

I'm just talking about him as a quarterback a little more than 24 months ago when he got that contract.

Yeah, we thought it was a lot.

We thought the trade was a lot, but it wasn't crazy because Deshaun Watson was in that level of, he is an elite quarterback.

He's a top five quarterback.

He was that dude with the Texans now, he just hasn't played up to that level, right with the Browns for sure.

But you could tell yourself a story of trust me fits.

I have that 2022.

He has the really long suspension and he's coming on to a new team.

New coaches have light year, there was no way he was going to succeed that year last year.

No, he wasn't great, but they were five and one in his start and I hate quarterback wins as a stat, but I think they can win with him.

And I think that if you look back at that Baltimore game, the one where he got hurt, he was playing really good ball there.

I think he was just starting to get his confidence back.

Maybe a little, that's been a long time since we've seen Deshaun Watson play elite football.

It has been and I, I can't account for that.

There's kind of a blind hope that he's just gonna show up this year and be the Deshaun Watson.

I remember from early in his career, even back to Clemson when he was obviously a great quarterback, but I do believe that Deshaun Watson can be a, a plus quarterback for the Browns.

He might never be at that top five, top seven type of guy.

He was, he might never be the who deserves that $230 million fully guaranteed contract.

That kind of put the NFL on its head, but I do think he could be good.

I think he'd be good enough for the Cleveland Browns to be a legit super bowl contender this year.

I, I just, yes, it's been a long time but I still hold out kind of that, that thought in my head that this dude is not that old and it's not that crazy to think he could be a really, really good quarterback again.