As Deshaun Watson enters the third year of a five-year, $46 million-a-year, fully guaranteed contract, the Browns are still waiting for a return on their investment. GM Andrew Berry believes it can happen.
If Watson can keep playing.
When asked by reporters Monday what gives him confidence in Watson’s ability to play at the top level, Berry said he trusts the signals his eyes send to his brain.
“I think it’s just watching him every day,” Berry said. “Seeing how he prepares, seeing how he performs in practice. Seeing how he interacts with his coaches. I think our biggest focus with Deshaun is making sure he’s available. I think the rest will take care of itself.”
Making sure he’s available is a huge factor. Watson missed 11 games in 2022 due to a suspension the Browns knew was coming when they traded him. He missed 11 games in 2023 due to an injury. And the Browns are owed $138 million through 2026.
It feels like it’s now or never for Watson to justify his contract. And if that doesn’t happen this year, the Browns will have to decide whether to try a fourth time — or rip off a $92 million Band-Aid and move on.
Money was always a major consideration in the decision to make Deshaun Watson the team’s quarterback. That belies the larger investment that was made. Three first-round picks, a third-round pick and two fourth-round picks were given up for Watson and a sixth-round pick. Had they not made the deal, the Browns would have had a group of young players on cheap contracts who could have developed into the core of a team that has become quite good without those picks — and without much of Deshaun.
Can Watson turn back the clock to 2020? He has played in 12 games since then. Berry believes that if Watson can play in 17 regular-season games, he will return to the short list of true franchise quarterbacks.
If successful, the Browns will be on the short list of Super Bowl contenders.