Going into the 2024-25 NFL season, the biggest question mark on the Cleveland Browns roster has to be how starting quarterback Deshaun Watson would look going into his third season with the organization. And in the team’s debut against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, he didn’t exactly inspire much confidence for the rest of the season.
In Watson’s first two seasons with the organization, Watson has largely struggled to show the supreme talents he once had as a member of the Houston Texans. Injuries and inconsistent play have been the overall theme of his tenure in Cleveland, starting just 12 games in the past two years.
Watson didn’t have any issues finishing Sunday’s game against the Cowboys. But he sure didn’t impress all that much, completing just 53% of his passes and turning the ball over twice en route to a 33-17 loss.
To be fair to Watson, his offensive line did him no favors. The Cowboys’ defensive line essentially lived in the Browns backfield all game long, recording six sacks on Watson.
Regardless, given the fact that Watson is still in the middle of the five-year $230 million contract he signed with the team upon being traded to the organization in 2022, Browns fans aren’t pleased with his performance whatsoever.
Baker Mayfield becoming better than Deshaun Watson is only something that would happen to the Cleveland Browns
— Zlatni Topki (@ZlatniTopki) September 8, 2024
Deshaun Watson ever since he got his bag: pic.twitter.com/jwuo1eWME7
— Sleeper (@SleeperHQ) September 8, 2024
As a reminder, Deshaun Watson carries a $72.9 million cap hit in 2025 AND 2026.
It’s the worst contract ever.
— Paul Hembekides (Hembo) (@PaulHembo) September 8, 2024
Not usually a screenshot guy, but this is Deshaun Watson’s teammate, Amari Cooper, on 4th-and-4 pic.twitter.com/O0q1QDqLLI
— Steve Palazzolo (@StevePalazzolo_) September 8, 2024
The Browns traded all of this for Deshaun Watson and then handed him an egregious fully-guaranteed contract that the rest of the NFL still refuses to acknowledge as a precedent.
Currently has a passer rating 10 points worse than just throwing the ball at the floor pic.twitter.com/4RRCPpC2do
— Sam Monson (@SamMonsonNFL) September 8, 2024
Watson was once regarded as one of the true budding stars in the NFL early on in his career. But now, whether it is because of the injuries in recent years or perhaps just Watson losing confidence himself, it seems like those days are never coming back.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.