Now that the Cleveland Browns know Deshaun Watson looks set to miss at least six games in league punishment for sexual harassment, the question now is how will the team handle it?
Although the Browns seemed to be expecting Watson to be punished, even that now even that is up in the air. The NFL has decided to appeal Watson’s six-game suspension, with many expecting the league to push for a year.
So that leaves the Browns in a pickle at quarterback. Do they go with Jacoby Brissett, or trade for a veteran quarterback like some have suggested? On Thursday, Browns’ head coach Kevin Stefanski said they won’t change plans until they have “concrete information” on Watson’s punishment. But, as per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, he talked about getting both Watson and Brissett “ready to play,” and also said the team is preparing for “all of these scenarios you have to be ready for.”
“We’ll let that play out, but we’ve got to get Deshaun ready to play. He hasn’t played football in a year. We’ve got to get Jacoby ready to play. He’s potentially going to be playing early for us and starting and we’re going to be counting on him. …I think all of these scenarios you have to be ready for.”
With Stefanski’s comments on Brissett only “potentially” playing early, and his line that they’re “ready for all these scenarios you have to be ready for,” you have to wonder if the Browns are considering any further moves if Watson is ruled out for more than the season’s first six games. That might include the idea of going out and trading for veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
