Deshaun Watson: Third Highest Paid QB in the AFC North (OUT for 2023)

[PIP]

I’m a Deshaun Watson fan, truly am and I do believe he has the potential to be what we need and can rally this thing.

However I’m starting to have my concerns as well and a lot of it was unforeseen at the point of the trade…We all know the legal baggage that was there and the fact that he had missed the prior season, requested a trade and was going to be suspended…

The 2022 handful of games I’m willing to give a pass on.. But that’s all I’m willing to give a pass on in regards to performance.

The concerns SINCE his acquisition are as followed for myself.

#1 The injury. Nobody knows if he can comeback fully from this kind of injury and if one bad hit could end the career. It’s the throwing shoulder and this was not an issue upon acquiring him..

#2 The combination with Stefanski. Clearly this combo is not on the same page. This wasn’t a concern at the point of the trade but is pretty major now. Trying to cater an offense to his skillset and desired play calls is cute and all, but given the way he’s performed it’s a major concern.

Quite frankly we’ve seen 1 really good game (Baltimore) and that, like the Commanders game in 2022 was really a 2nd half effort— which is fine I suppose, but that’s living on the edge from that position.

Despite is 8-4 record as a starter (fools gold) It is no coincidence that we saw roughly a 40 year old man come off the street, with little to no tread left on the tires, put together 5 really solid games (in contrast to Watson’s 1 1/2)— mind you, Watson had an entire off season, mini camp, training camp, preseason (Flacco had none) and that’s the performance we got from Watson at the age of 28…

#3 And this one is perhaps unfair, but I’m getting nonchalant vibes from Watson. His social media accounts are basically him posing across the world or different places… Very much staged like Alex Rodriguez does on his. And yes, I get it’s not really a major deal — and I know he’s recovering— but man, I see nothing (outside of him saying the right things) that suggests to me the guy is going above and beyond and doing whatever it takes to put this team in the upper echelon of the league… I’m confident the owner, front office and coaching staff is doing their part, but something is just off about this guy and is not registering with me that he’s giving it his all…. It really does appear he’s in half-way retirement mode with his money and whatever happens, happens…

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

So fuck the constitution, our legal system and due process because Watson is a flaming asshole?

None of those things has anything to do with what judgments individuals choose to make about someone else's moral character. They are standards applicable only to whether the government is entitled to forcibly restrict/sanction a citizen.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Folks that are clamoring for a Flacco reprise mystify me. Did they not see his last game, giving a playoff game away like a regifted fruitcake? Watson hatred is clouding normally competent thinking. Joe sure isn't any kind of year long answer as qb. He stepped into a great situation and squeezed a lot out of it, but he's basically done. He just doesn't have the desire to do all it takes to be the guy. I'd rather roll with DTR or Jacoby (or someone like him) if Watson gets hurt again.

Flacco has more potential to have a great game than any of those guys. But he also can be an interception machine.

Higher ceiling, lower floor.

 

[FrontPageNews]

Folks that are clamoring for a Flacco reprise mystify me. Did they not see his last game, giving a playoff game away like a regifted fruitcake? Watson hatred is clouding normally competent thinking. Joe sure isn't any kind of year long answer as qb. He stepped into a great situation and squeezed a lot out of it, but he's basically done. He just doesn't have the desire to do all it takes to be the guy. I'd rather roll with DTR or Jacoby (or someone like him) if Watson gets hurt again.

So one game erases the entire run up to the playoffs? Without Flacco playing like a pro bowl level qb we don’t make the playoffs.

 

[bronko]

As a Brown's fan, I've watched enough of Joe at his peak in Baltimore to know he wasn't the guy then, and sure isn't now. He caught a wave when he got here, did everything he could with it, but it just isn't sustainable. For all the "woe is me" Brown's fans, Flacco would be perfect. Show you plenty to get you amped up, then disappoint you cruelly. Except for one magic year, it's who he is, and that's not awful. But he's not the guy for this team.

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

for him to succeed elsewhere

That’s about as big of an if as I can imagine

Like spades are spades guys, a washed up 38 year old who no one wanted performed better. Its time to stop fetishizing Watson

I hope he plays like a pro bowler but I also have 2 human eyes that have witnessed him be a bottom 10 QB in his time as a brown

And the whole “he’s rusty!!!!!” Thing lands a lot worse now when Flacco came in and played better than Watson by a lot

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

Did they not see his last game, giving a playoff game away like a regifted fruitcake?

If this isn’t satire it’s one of the worst takes I’ve ever seen on this site

Stroud could have named his score that game. The defense was absolutely lifeless and had no answers. Flacco’s 2 pick 6’s are the result of him needing to score every single drive because the defense was beyond torched. The Texans didn’t score more in the second half bc they didn’t need to. There’s 0 doubt they would have if needed. Put Mahomes on the team and we lose that game

 

[PIP]

As a Brown's fan, I've watched enough of Joe at his peak in Baltimore to know he wasn't the guy then, and sure isn't now. He caught a wave when he got here, did everything he could with it, but it just isn't sustainable. For all the "woe is me" Brown's fans, Flacco would be perfect. Show you plenty to get you amped up, then disappoint you cruelly. Except for one magic year, it's who he is, and that's not awful. But he's not the guy for this team.

I don’t think anyone is truly clamoring for Flacco going forward (insurance policy ? Sure). It is nice to romanticize about having the type of QB play that was featured in December however and he was the one who provided that.

Did so without an elite level running back, ridiculous injuries on the line and same with the defense.

There was a level of calm, accuracy, cannon arm, high IQ play and overall leadership from the position that we are simply not used to. There was an authentic connection to our main 2 receiving targets as well that we haven’t seen— which manifested into a unique appreciation that those 2 guys had for Joe as well. It was refreshing to see.

Conversely he never had a ton of weapons in Baltimore. If this was indeed 12 years ago and we had this roster currently and Joe was the same age as Deshaun currently — it would be an absolute no brainer that you’re taking Joe going forward in this style of offense.

The hope here is that Deshaun develops that same chemistry with the coach, coordinator and pass catchers that Joe showed us and the team continues the momentum it was building going into the playoffs.

 

[bronko]

If this isn’t satire it’s one of the worst takes I’ve ever seen on this site

Stroud could have named his score that game. The defense was absolutely lifeless and had no answers. Flacco’s 2 pick 6’s are the result of him needing to score every single drive because the defense was beyond torched. The Texans didn’t score more in the second half bc they didn’t need to. There’s 0 doubt they would have if needed. Put Mahomes on the team and we lose that game

No offense intended, the defense was listless, the entire team was blah. But that doesn't mean to me that it's a hopeless cause. That Joe was pressured to score every time he had the ball. That even if he did, the Texans would have easily scored more. What kind of thinking is that? It's why you have to play out the games. We were in it until we weren't, and if you watched you know when that happened. We didn't lose because of Flacco, it's a team game. But Mahomes is who he is because he steps up when the team needs him. Joe has never been that guy, he certainly won't be close to that guy next season. If Watson is 80% of his old self, he and Joe aren't close.

 

[FrontPageNews]

As a Brown's fan, I've watched enough of Joe at his peak in Baltimore to know he wasn't the guy then, and sure isn't now. He caught a wave when he got here, did everything he could with it, but it just isn't sustainable. For all the "woe is me" Brown's fans, Flacco would be perfect. Show you plenty to get you amped up, then disappoint you cruelly. Except for one magic year, it's who he is, and that's not awful. But he's not the guy for this team.

We aren’t getting Flacco to be the starter. He’d be a backup. Which he arguably is the best in the league at that.

 

[Vee-Rex]

Big fan of Flacco and am happy for the experience, but my feeling is that the longer he played the more we would have seen the bad games from him.

Trash Watson all you want for not living up to expectations, but he still managed a +61 point differential as a starter this year. Flacco finished the year with a +21 point differential, -10 point differential if you count the playoffs. Flacco led the more exciting, high-powered offense but people undersell how costly and painful those turnovers were. They also tend to oversell how terrible Watson was this year when he had multiple solid games (his last 3 full games). I think before each injury Watson showed tangible improvements (from watching film) that don't necessarily pop out on the stat sheet.

My only two concerns with Watson right now are:

1. Health - he needs to find a way to protect himself and stay healthy.
2. Chemistry with Stefanski's offense - I think Stefanski's rhythmic, west-coast style offense doesn't mesh well with Watson's unorthodox, off-script style of play. I think this is partially why AVP was let go (too similar to Stefanski) and Dorsey was brought in (more familiarity & experience with this style of play, helping to bring out the talent of guys like Cam Newton & Josh Allen).

Watson just need reps and more playtime. And if it doesn't work out? Then he'll be on the hot seat. He gets one more year, IMO, to not only play better but sustain health before the team starts planning for post-Watson.

 

[Hurl Bruce]

If the Browns sign Flacco, then the team will have two of the most extreme regression candidates in the league. Watson up and Flacco down.

I’ll take the ascending talent.

 

[Urban]

If this isn’t satire it’s one of the worst takes I’ve ever seen on this site

Stroud could have named his score that game. The defense was absolutely lifeless and had no answers. Flacco’s 2 pick 6’s are the result of him needing to score every single drive because the defense was beyond torched. The Texans didn’t score more in the second half bc they didn’t need to. There’s 0 doubt they would have if needed. Put Mahomes on the team and we lose that game

Who knows what adjustments the Browns defense may have made at halftime. They forced a punt to start the half and were on their way to making it a 1 score game before the first pick 6.

Fast forward 10 game minutes later and the next time Stroud touched the ball it was at midfield now up 24 points.

 

[buzzdog]

Who knows what adjustments the Browns defense may have made at halftime. They forced a punt to start the half and were on their way to making it a 1 score game before the first pick 6.

Fast forward 10 game minutes later and the next time Stroud touched the ball it was at midfield now up 24 points.

I missed the first half, and watched the start of the second half during my short layover. When I started watching the Browns were very much within reach. If they would have driven down for a touchdown instead of the pick 6, they were right back in the game early in the second half.

That first interception was a kick in the nuts to the defense. The second interception was a stake through the heart. Anyone who fails to acknowledge the effect these had on the whole team, and the defense in particular, is delusional. This team showed an ability to fight themselves back into games. But it takes both sides of the ball, and one shitty performance sabotages comeback efforts. That is what happened against Houston.

 

[Otsego Mar]

I'm not a Watson fan until he plays about 4 good games in a row. Am I asking for too much?