The Cleveland Browns shocked the NFL world by signing Deshaun Watson to a massive, fully-guaranteed contract.
At the time of this signing, Watson was still in the middle of a legal battle, and his future in the NFL was widely unknown.
Plus, Watson hadn’t played in over a year at the time of signing due to his off-field issues and injuries, and people were unsure of what he was capable of on the field once he returned.
He was an MVP candidate during his time with the Houston Texans, and there was a general sense of hope that he could return to that level of production.
After only playing 12 games over the last two seasons, however, panic is starting to set in for some fans and analysts.
James Jones broke this situation down in a recent segment of “Speak” on FS1, saying, “Deshaun Watson from the Texans is gone.”
.@89JonesNTAF: Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans is gone. 🏈 pic.twitter.com/Elt85QBK7A
— Speak (@SpeakOnFS1) July 11, 2024
Whether it’s due to extended time off, injuries, or a myriad of other reasons, Watson doesn’t seem close to the player he was in Houston, at least in Jones’ eyes.
Jones believes that he is no longer an MVP-caliber player, which could be devastating to the Browns’ future aspirations.
Watson did win five of his six starts last year, which could be an encouraging metric, but fans will have to wait and see how he performs in a few months.
The future fate of the Browns seemingly depends on how Watson plays over the next few seasons.
