When Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was drafted in 2017 in the first round by the Houston Texans, little did anybody know how his career would hit a roadblock after the first couple of years.
After starting out well in his second and third seasons in Houston, Watson had a fallout with the management and the accusations of sexual misconduct and harassment by multiple women completely derailed his career.
But now that the worst is behind him, let us break down some of the reasons as to why the Browns’ signal caller is primed for a breakout year in 2024.
Motivated to Get Back To Winning Ways
The first reason has more to do with his mental composition. As mentioned previously, his seemingly bright future ran into off-field issues. First of all, some of the decisions taken by the Texans management did not sit well with Watson leading to increased frustration on his part.
Secondly, Watson was accused by more than 20 women of sexual misconduct and harassment which prompted the Texans to trade him after he was benched for the entire 2021 season. In 2022, Watson served an 11-game ban and returned only at the back end of the season.
While 2023 got off to a good start for Watson and the Browns as they went 5-1 from his six games, he underwent a season-ending shoulder surgery that once again hampered his season.
As of now, Watson is healthy and his off-field controversies are a thing of the past. He will be extra motivated to start living up to the high standards that were set for him when he entered the NFL.
Versatile and Solid Receiving Core
Coming to the second reason, Watson currently has a versatile receiving core that consists of experienced wideout Amari Cooper, along with able number two and three receivers such as Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore.
Cooper is coming off back-to-back 1,000-plus-yard seasons and has been the go-to guy for the Browns. In order to bolster their receivers room, Cleveland brought in former Broncos’ receiver Jerry Jeudy who is an excellent addition.
On top of that Moore and other backup receivers provide the Browns with flexibility as they can be used in various roles.
Another prominent pass catcher for Cleveland is their starting tight end David Njoku who himself is coming off his best season yet.
Top-Ranked Offensive Line
So many times the contributions of the O-line are overlooked as these players don’t have many stats to back their performances. However, Pro Football Focus has ranked the offensive line of the Browns as the 4th best in the league.
Watson is already a mobile quarterback and is adept at evading trouble by using his legs. A top-tier offensive line that he has is sure to increase the level of his play.
If everything clicks, 2024 could be the year Deshaun Watson finally proves his worth at the highest level.
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