The Browns lost to the Chiefs falling to 3-11. Now off to Cincy and the Bengals who are also having a disappointing season. Should be interesting as the one thing they can do is score points with Joe Burrow having an MVP type season but their defense stinks. Our defense has been far better than theirs, but we can’t score. It’s a divisional game, many times the Browns show up for these.
Sunday I feel reality set in for a lot of Browns fans. To me, we now are finally approaching the very bottom. Think about this Browns reality. The 3-10 Browns BENCHED Jameis Winston, at home, down 14 to the Chiefs in the second half in favor of a 5th round draft pick from a year ago who can’t stay healthy and has not really competed at the NFL level. The reason? 5 turnovers (that quickly became 6) and three more Winston interceptions, 2 of them in the end zone. As fun as Winston can be on TV, he is an interception machine and has been his entire career. He’s 2-5 as our starter. He is who he is.
We are seeing the result of coughing up all those huge draft picks over the past few years, 6 in all. You would have a minimum of 4 very good young players on the roster in various position groups under cheaper contracts helping you win games. Sadly the Browns have gotten old while squandering the primes of some pretty darn good players. So now the Browns need to start looking to 2025. Word is the GM, head coach and Watson are all coming back to take another run at it. That sentence has a lot of fans really discouraged.
No one thinks the front office had a lot to do with the Watson deal as that more than likely came from the very top. But almost every other major decision made has been marginal at best – to very bad. The head coach seems to be a yes man. And Watson, with his baggage and suspension, has had major shoulder surgery and major Achilles surgery in two years. Then when healthy he just can’t play at anywhere near a decent level. The Browns think there is good play from him ahead, but he has played about 4 good games since coming here. And at this seasons end he will have played in only 18 of the last 69 NFL games he could have. Troubling to say the least.
Tough to win when it appears virtually no one seems to want him on the team, let alone on the field. The energy is awful and the leash from fans is short. Fans know bad play when they see it, and so do opposing teams, who would be thrilled to have our “dual threat QB” back who has seemingly diminished arm strength and will clearly be reluctant to run with the Achilles. It’s a recipe for this year all over again and makes zero sense. If I was scheming against us, I’d pressure him every single play.
So what can they do next year? (I’m not thrilled about a few of these)
– They can play Watson and hope that he’s better and healthier than the last three seasons.
– They can cut Watson, eat the contract, sign and play Jameis, or DTR
– They can cut Watson, and Jameis, eat Watson’s money, assign DTR to the practice squad. Draft a QB with a high pick they’ll have, and sign Bailey Zappe cheap, (or an equivalent to play until the pick is ready on a rookie contract) Remember they will have no money
– They can cut Watson and Jameis, eat Watson’s money and maybe swing a deal with the Vikings if they make a run this year, and extend Sam Darnold. JJ McCarthy may be available their 1st rounder this year who’s out injured – but it would cost you, probably high draft picks.
– And suddenly Falcons QB Kirk Cousins is probably going to be cut. Cut Watson, eat his money, then acquire Cousins from Atlanta with the Falcons on the hook for Cousins money, and we pay league minimum. Like the Wilson in Pittsburgh situation.
– And there are others scenarios I’m sure, but none of it seems pretty.
All of it is tough to swallow. Most of us have none of the faith in Watson they seem to. These are the things that happen when you don’t have or allow football people to make the right decisions.
This is where we are.
