Deshaun Watson was once viewed as one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks. But that was with the Houston Texans, when he had no choice but to play hero, putting the team on his back. Watson made three consecutive Pro Bowls while leading the NFL with 4,823 passing yards in 2020.
But he hasn’t been the same ever since. He hasn’t even surpassed the 1,200-yard mark, let alone reach 4,000 yards again. This isn’t exactly what the Cleveland Browns had in mind when trading three first-round picks for the dynamic franchise quarterback. But to be fair, Watson dealt with a significant shoulder injury last season while trying to knock off the rust of not playing from Jan. 3, 2021, to Dec. 4, 2022.
However, now there’s some optimism brewing from the Dawg Pound thanks to Watson’s performance during training camp.
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Deshaun Watson may be ready to return to MVP form
If the Cleveland Browns want to return to the playoffs and do more damage than last season, they’ll need a strong year from Deshaun Watson. Yet, that may be exactly what they’re about to experience.
“Talking to people with Cleveland, they do believe that they’ve seen glimpses of the Deshaun Watson of old, from the Houston Texans, that is a top-five type quarterback, but he just needs time on task, they reiterate.”
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Deshaun Watson
There are a lot of great NFL quarterbacks in the league today. But as Fowler mentioned, Watson once was a part of that group too. At his best, he is a true MVP candidate, but we’ve also seen him at his worst.
The challenge this season involves staying healthy and getting into a groove with a rebuilt receiving corps that still features Amari Cooper as the alpha dawg in Cleveland. Still just 28, Watson should be able to return to top form, but he still has a lot of doubters he needs to prove wrong.
Related: See where Deshaun Watson lands in Sportsnaut’s NFL QB Rankings