Things continue to get worse for controversial Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson following the Week 1 beatdown by the Dallas Cowboys. Watson was sacked six times and threw two interceptions in the Browns’ 33-17 loss to the Cowboys.
It was only Watson’s 13th game with the Browns since the 2022 season. Now, some are asking if the former Pro Bowl QB should be benched.
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NFL analysts state case for Cleveland Browns to bench Deshaun Watson
On ESPN’s “Get Up” on Monday morning, NFL analysts Rex Ryan and Dan Orlovsky raked Watson over the coals for his latest inept performance, with Orlovsky even calling for Watson’s benching.
“Quarterback is a problem in Cleveland. And, if I was [Browns head coach] Kevin Stefanski, I would be thinking long and hard about Jameis Winston and moving him to be my starting quarterback,” Orlovsky said.
Orlovsky noted that the Browns “can’t run anything” with Watson under the helm.
“Can’t run it with Deshaun because Deshaun isn’t ready to operate the play-action pass, he doesn’t see the field well, he’s not throwing in rhythm and timing, he’s missing receivers by six, seven yards, not feet,” Orlovsky added.
Former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan also piled on.
“The quarterback played like garbage,” Ryan said. “That plan was horrible.”
Ryan went on to say that Watson isn’t playing with any confidence right now.
“The guy used to be a hell of a player. We’ve seen him one time, one time, since he went to Cleveland where he looked like the old Deshaun Watson and that was when he hit 13 straight passes with the shoulder injury in Baltimore,” explained Ryan.
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Despite being accused of sexual misconduct and harassment by over two dozen women, the Browns decided to trade for Watson in 2022 and backed up the Brinks truck for him, signing him to a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract.
Watson missed the 2021 season after asking for a trade from the Houston Texans and was suspended for 11 games in 2022 over the sexual misconduct allegations.
After Watson went down with a season-ending injury in 2023, backup quarterback Joe Flacco led the Browns to the playoffs, where they lost in the Wild Card round to the Texans.
The Browns will be on the road in Week Two as they face the 0-1 Jacksonville Jaguars.
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