BroBible
The Cleveland Browns are paying Deshaun Watson a lot of money to teach Shedeur Sanders how to replace him. He will be on the sideline on Sunday for the first time this season.
It is a big step toward his return, which likely will not happen until training camp in June at the earliest.
Credit where credit is due. The Cleveland Browns are making the absolute most out of one of the worst investments in NFL history by putting him to work however they can.
Watson, the NFL passing yards leader in 2020 and three-time Pro Bowler, was infamously traded to the browns in 2022 amid a myriad of sexual assault allegations. He was subsequently suspended for the first 11 games of his first season with Cleveland and finished with a record of 3-3 as the starter.
Although Watson was cleared for a full return in 2023, a shoulder injury ended his second season with the Browns after just six games as the starter. He did go 5-1 during those six games.
Last year did not go as well. Not only did Deshaun Watson tear his achilles during Week 7, he went 1-6 during those first seven games. And then he re-tore his achilles back in January.
That re-tear will keep him out all of 2025.
There was no way for Cleveland to account for injuries but the trade with Houston will go down as one of the worst trades of all-time if Watson does not lead the Browns deep into the postseason — or even just to the postseason — upon return. Especially considering his contract.
Deshaun Watson is getting paid approximately $35.9 million to not play in 2025 because of how his five-year, $230 million contract was restructured. It might be even more with the restructuring bonus.
The absence of Watson forced Cleveland to play three different quarterbacks this season. Joe Flacco began the year as the starter. He was later benched in favor of Dillon Gabriel and traded.
Gabriel was terrible during his time as the starter, which led Kevin Stefanski to reluctantly turn to Shedeur Sanders. There is literally nothing to lose. Why not see if he can do something?! Anything, really.
Sanders did not play well against the Baltimore Ravens last weekend. He completed only four of his six pass attempts for 47 yards with an interception.
Watson is on the sideline to help him during his second-career regular season start. The veteran signal-caller traveled to Las Vegas to be in the rookie’s ear. Quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave has been super grateful to have him in the room with Sanders and Gabriel.
“I try to take myself out of the equation – I don’t need to be there hovering all over them” he said. “It’s great to have his presence on the sideline for our young group.”
Maybe it will be good for Sanders to receive in-game guidance from someone with...
