Cleveland Browns franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson led his team out to a 22-3 lead against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs ultimately came back to win 33-32, but only once the first and second teamers had departed the field.
Deshaun Watson’s day was hit-and-miss, which is what the preseason is for. But the real question is…is he ready for Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals?
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Did Not Play Enough in the Preseason
Watson saw the most action of the 2023 preseason on Saturday. He started rough. Watson was credited with two fumbles, though both were on handoffs to running back Jordan Wilkins. On the first, Wilkins didn’t seem to realize the ball was coming to him. Wilkins seemed to overcorrect the second time, though his position relative to Watson was still awkward. Watson was visibly angry with Wilkins both times. The team seemingly agreed with Watson’s assessment, cutting Wilkins on Sunday and trading for running back Pierre Strong of the New England Patriots to replace him.
After starting 1/4, Watson seemed to settle in. The Chiefs were dialing up constant pressure, particularly from the left side of the line. Watson’s best plays came out of shotgun. He hit a perfect fade route to tight end David Njoku for his first touchdown. Botched blocking led to a 53-yard completion to Amari Cooper, setting up the second.
There’s no questioning Watson’s ability – his past performances have more than seen to that. At this point, the question of a potential resurgence of Deshaun Watson is entirely a mental one. The more Watson moved, the more comfortable he seemed to get, particularly from shotgun. We’ve seen this from Deshaun Watson when he was with the Texans, but not so much with the Browns.
Given all that, did Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski give Watson enough time on the field this preseason? The answer is no, though it’s understandable that Stefanski would want to protect the team’s quarter-billion-dollar investment. That said, if Watson gets more comfortable the longer he’s out there moving around, and if the offensive scheme gets more refined from the same, it could be a game or three before the offense truly settles in.
Deshaun Watson will lead the Browns against all three AFC North rivals in the season’s first four weeks. That’s not a time for the offense to still be on training wheels.
In other stories from the Browns final preseason matchup of 2023…
Stout Defense… With Some Work Yet to Do
One thing that Deshaun Watson won’t have to worry about is the Browns defense. Jim Schwartz’s rebuilt unit has been consistent and consistently aggressive throughout the preseason. Saturday’s game against the Chiefs was no exception. Before the first and second teamers departed the field, the Browns pulled down three interceptions, returning two for touchdowns.
The pressure consistently rattled Chiefs QB2 Shane Buechele. The Chiefs did, however, reveal some holes in the Browns defensive coaching. Several times, the Browns were caught out of position on plays designed to redirect them, including a screen pass on third and long and a few runs to the backside. Screen passes, check-downs, and runs that reverse the field are hallmarks of offenses looking to nullify an aggressive defense. The Chiefs ran them to near perfection, and the Browns have two weeks to fix it.
Wide Receiver Battle Heats Up
The competition for the team’s final spots in its crowded wide receiver room is narrowing. The Browns will certainly keep top Deshaun Watson targets Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Elijah Moore, and Cedric Tillman. It also seems likely that Marquise Goodwin will make the squad, even though he missed all of training camp with blood clots. That leaves one, maybe two, open spots.
2021 third-round choice Anthony Schwartz was given every chance to make the squad, but after a terrible preseason that ended in injury, he was cut after Saturday’s loss. 2022 third-round choice David Bell is a favorite of the front office but has been quiet. He also had a significant special teams penalty against the Chiefs. Fan favorite Austin Watkins has more than made his push for a spot, but as the last man added to the roster before camp started, will it be enough? On Saturday, Watkins was quiet, catching just one pass for 12 yards. He had his least productive day of the preseason at the worst possible time. This one will go down to the wire.
Grant Injured on the First Play
Browns WR/KR Jakeem Grant returned to the field for the first time after an Achilles injury last year. Sadly, he suffered a significant and painful knee injury on his first play. Grant was carted off with an air cast and was clearly in distress. He will miss the season after suffering a season-ending ruptured patella tendon.
