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If Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson is suspended for the 2022 season, who will be the team's starting quarterback? Dennis Clausen evaluates the offensive situation.
Deshaun Watson is one of the most talented quarterbacks in the National Football League. After a successful collegiate career, he was selected as the No. 12 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Since then, he has appeared in 54 regular-season games, amassing 14,539 yards, 104 touchdowns, 36 interceptions, and completing an impressive 67.8% of his attempts.
In addition to Watson's throwing prowess, he is highly athletic, accumulating 1,677 yards on the ground on 307 touches, with 17 of those carries resulting in a trip to the end zone. He is the complete package, so Houston had a signal-caller it could build its franchise around.
However, when the 2020 season ended, Watson's most efficient as a professional, he requested a trade after he grew increasingly frustrated with the team's direction, specifically surrounding the constant changes within the front office and coaching staff. Still, the Texans had hoped to resolve the situation. Yet, things got even worse when the former Clemson Tiger was accused of sexual assault by several women. Since legal issues became a bigger concern, and understandably so, the trade demand became an afterthought.
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What's Deshaun Watson's Current Situation?
After Houston held Watson out for the entire 2021-22 season while the accusations were investigated further, he eventually got his wish and was traded to Cleveland during in March.
The Browns were unsatisfied with the performance of the 2018 No. 1 overall selection Baker Mayfield — so despite the growing number of women claiming abuse seemingly increasing by the week, the organization still moved to acquire the 26-year-old.
That's not all, as the Browns signed Watson to a massive five-year, $230 million deal, despite the negative attention he continues to receive. Even further, the contract is fully guaranteed. With such a lucrative agreement, it would seem Cleveland is confident he will be on the field.
Yet, as the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell intensify the investigation, there's a chance he may miss the entire 2022-23 season. If that's the case, who will handle things under center for the team during Watson's expected suspension?
Who Will Start If Deshaun Watson Is Suspended?
After months of trying to move Mayfield, he remained on the roster due to his hefty guaranteed salary. As a result, there appeared to be a slight chance he could be back under center as the starter while Watson served out his suspension.
However, that won't happen, as the former Oklahoma Sooner was traded to the Carolina Panthers.
Cleveland also has Jacoby Brissett on the roster, a player who has been in the league since 2016. He's been decent over the years from a statistical standpoint, throwing for 7,742 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 17 picks while completing 60.2% of his passes.
He's also found the end zone 17 times on the run. Still, those numbers haven't made him a Pro Bowler. Brissett s career 14-23 record as a starter also isn't reassuring for not only the team's coaching staff but fantasy managers as well.
Although the Browns have a few other options currently on the roster, Brissett is easily the most-seasoned. The team could look outside and take a chance on guys like Cam Newton and Colin Kaepernick, players who are desperate to earn a place on any roster, while also looking at Jimmy Garoppolo in San Francisco.
Yet, Newton or Kaepernick would be a downgrade, and who knows if the 49ers feel confident enough in the potential of Trey Lance and part ways with its safety net. What about Andrew Luck? Nope.
Brissett will probably hold things down while Watson faces the music. He should have some decent showings for those in deep Superflex formats or looking for a temporary streamer.
Should Fantasy Managers Draft Deshaun Watson?
Currently, no, primarily since he faces a lengthy suspension. At the moment, Watson is in jeopardy of potentially serving the longest suspension the NFL has ever imposed on a player. His sentence may get extended if more women emerge and claim they, too, were victims. Then again, he may only have to sit a few games.
Nonetheless, anything can happen in the months ahead leading into the regular season, especially with experienced lawyers involved leading the charge to clear Watson's name.
Still, if he is somehow ruled eligible to play the entire 2022-23 campaign, he should be considered at least a top-10 fantasy option in any format, with points deducted for the residual rust he accumulated while missing all of last season.
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