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Deshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns
For the Cleveland Browns, the enthusiasm produced by the rumor mill at the quarterback position over the last month or so has been quickly defused by the melancholy of reality. While there were notions, running right up to the start of NFL free agency, of the Browns pursuing top free-agent quarterback Malik Willis, the fact is that they never really were involved with Willis, who signed in Miami.
More realistic was a trade for Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, a much-discussed opportunity for the Browns to add a talented QB who just needed a change of scenery. But, according to a Cleveland.com report, the Browns are a hard no on trading for Richardson, who likely does not want to land in Cleveland anyway.
So cross him off your list of potential Browns quarterback additions. Now it’s a pretty short list, eh?
There’s been a sense around the Browns that no matter how badly they need to make a quarterback addition and how available some credible veteran options might be, they’re planning on using the offseason for a Deshaun Watson vs. Shedeur Sanders competition. They’ve done nothing to defuse that speculation.
Deshaun Watson Throwing With Coach in Browns
With that in mind, there is , at least, some optimism about Watson and how he has looked lately. Video emerged of Watson working out with QB coach Quincy Avery recently, and oddly enough, he has also been working out with multiple former Browns quarterbacks/Watson teammates.
According to Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, “Watson, cleared for all football activity in November, has been throwing in Florida with his longtime private quarterbacks coach Quincy Avery, and he has plenty of company. Among the other quarterbacks working out with him there this week were former Browns signal-callers Kenny Pickett, Tyrod Taylor and Jacoby Brissett.”
Taylor’s Browns tenor preceded Watson, but he played with the other two. Brissett now is expected to get the starting job in Arizona, while Pickett is in Carolina and Taylor is still a free agent.
Open QB Competition Ahead
Certainly, the Browns could consider taking Taylor back, as well as his old Jets teammate Justin Fields. Both are known NFL commodities who would at least compete for the job in Cleveland. But it appears more and more that the Browns will be sticking with Sanders vs. Watson and maybe adding another contender with a draft pick.
Browns coach Todd Monken has said, throughout the offseason, that he intends to have an open contest for the starting job.
“I’m excited about Shedeur, excited about Deshaun and Dillon (Gabriel),” Monken said. “I’m excited about the prospects, not only in free agency but also in the draft and we’ll see where it all falls. Ultimately you’ve got to do whatever you need to do, especially at that position, to put yourself in position to score points.”
He said he would like to pick a starter before training camp. That looks like it will be tough to do.
“I think it’s an open competition,” Monken said. “I mean, I don’t why it wouldn’t be an open competition. I don’t mean that saying it harshly, but I don’t think there’s enough on film over the last couple years one way or the other to say, boy, we have our starter at quarterback yet. Whether internally or externally.”
Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney
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