Cleveland Browns to replace QB DeShaun Watson?
The AFC North emerged as a dominant division in the previous season, witnessing the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers all clinch playoff berths, while the Cincinnati Bengals narrowly missed out. The Steelers and Browns achieved this feat with backup quarterbacks, as Bengals’ starter Joe Burrow also suffered a season-ending injury.
Cleveland’s success was attributed to former Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, stepping in as starter Deshaun Watson faced another season-ending injury. ESPN, in their recent analysis, suggested bold moves for each team and proposed that the Browns should introduce competition for Watson during the offseason.
In summary, the sentiment is straightforward: the Watson trade has not yielded the expected results, with the Browns’ offense performing notably better with alternative quarterbacks over the past two seasons. The suggestion is to bring in competition and establish a backup plan in case Watson’s performance falters in the upcoming season. This can be achieved by either investing a second- or third-round pick in a young quarterback to compete with Watson in training camp or re-signing a veteran quarterback with whom the team has previously found success.
The possibility of Joe Flacco returning to the Browns, either as competition for Watson or as the outright starter at the age of 39, is also discussed. Despite his age, Flacco has expressed a desire to continue his career, and fans would welcome his return. The proposal is to consider signing Flacco to a more affordable deal, exploring if the previous success with him can be replicated. The overarching goal is to safeguard the Browns from potential setbacks and avoid wasting the strengths of a solid defense due to subpar performance from Watson.
