The Browns play their first preseason game today with the Packers.  Teams play 3 preseason games now, and soon it will be 2 as the regular season will in time be 18 games.  The Browns open their regular season at home against the Cowboys on National TV September 8th which is a tone-setting game game for both teams. 

So it's time to get ready, and the big question is, will we be ready?  Two huge games to start the year with Dallas, then on to 100 degree heat IN Jacksonville with a well coached Jaguar team and a healthy Trevor Lawrence.  The Browns don't really have time  -  to waste time.  Deshaun Watson doesn't have time to "shake off the rust" as in years past that has become his signature.  I say play him in the preseason.  Hey, not every play of every game, but I would play him a considerable amount.  The Browns don't generally do that, and I don't think they have that luxury if they want to go -  where they want to go.   They have stated this week, he will not play, and I think that is the wrong way to go.

I know lots of teams don't play guys like Watson in preseason, as that's fashionable now.  But it's just different here than most places.  Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and maybe 20 more QB's may not need to play much in the preseason, as they are established QB's on good teams that don't require 6 weeks to "ramp up".   But, recent factual history shows, our guy does. I mean why not play him?  You won 11 games last year basically without him, and you signed ample backup's that you say can run this offense.  Watson has been living on the comeback trail since the day we signed him and his play thus far has been marginal.  I say, let's get him really ready, or as ready as we can to play well right away.  If he gets hurt, then it's next man up.  And if he gets hurt again, you then know what you have, and you can start looking for a way to move on and get out of this thing.  Keep in mind he's only played in 11 of the last 51 regular season NFL games for a multitude of reasons. Much of is self-inflicted.

This doesn't apply to other Browns greats, guys like Myles Garrett, Joel Botonio and that class that don't need to play much this preseason. They're pro's who always are ready to go.  Stefanski can't live in the world of coaching fear with Watson.  I would far prefer to see him play with rust today, and the next two weeks, than the opening month in games we need to win.  If he gets hurt, then that's just the way it goes.  The law of averages says that won't happen, and for the most part, so does Watson's history.  He's been physically healthy most of his career.  It's time to try to erase the incredibly embarrassing fact of Joe Flacco, who at 39 got off his couch after playing catch with his kids in the yard and got the job done, with no rust.

All I know, if we see him playing with rust September 8th against Dallas, it won't go over well.  It will cause doubt for a tough game week two on the road.  Forget what everyone else does. This organization enjoys patting itself on the back on how smart they are, so be smart enough to get your guy game speed ready.  We are not like a lot of other teams.

It's just different here.