Deshaun Watson has once again endured a season of failure, and this time, Shannon Sharpe wants the Cleveland Browns and the QB to part ways for good. However, Unc also believes the quarterback’s time in the NFL is far from over.
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On Nightcap, Sharpe insisted that the Browns need to cut their losses and turn to someone new. His co-host, Chad Johnson, tried to defend Watson by elaborating on his age and past career accomplishments. But the limited number of games Watson has played over the last five seasons is a matter of concern, agreed both Chad and Sharpe.
“I just think the best thing for Deshaun, and I hate to say this: I think it’s just time for them to part ways… As much as I wanted to see it, he’s never going to be what he was in Houston,” Sharpe stated.
The number of injuries Watson has sustained is concerning. The human body can only take so much. He already looked like a shell of his former self from his Houston Texans days.
Sharpe listed the seasons Watson has missed recently. In 2021, he didn’t play amid a sexual assault lawsuit. He then signed a fully guaranteed 5-year, $230 million contract with the Browns. In 2022, the quarterback served an 11-game suspension, logging just six games.
The next season, he tore the rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder, fractured his arm, and again managed only six games. This past season, he played seven total games before tearing his Achilles. He also re-ruptured it during rehab.
“It’s not working, and it’s too late to turn back now,” Sharpe said. “I just believe there is too much damage that’s been done to his body. Second Achilles [injury], he’s going to miss ’25. If you think about it, Ocho, the man might have played an entire season in the last four years. And that’s if you put the games together.”
Most of the NFL community will agree with Sharpe’s take. Watson doesn’t look like the player he once was. Whether it’s the system, coaching, personnel around him, or the Cleveland curse — something isn’t working. Sometimes, the best thing to do for both parties in that situation is to go their separate ways.
Watson was once the most dynamic QB in the league, constantly churning out highlight reel plays. His slippery maneuvers in the pocket and his rocket-throwing arm made for some enticing TV. But something has changed about him since he took the 2021 season off due to the lawsuits. And it’s got to be a mental hurdle because he also has shown some flashes of brilliance with the Browns.
Last season, he had a 5-1 record as a starter. It was such a good start that, when Joe Flacco took over for the injured Watson, he could ride on the momentum to lead the team to the playoffs.
But with a second Achilles tear during the rehab process, the question now becomes: Can Watson make it back to the NFL at all?
It’s about as uphill as a battle can get. And with no fan support around him rallying him to get back, the motivation levels could start to hit low too. We’ll see if he uses the hate as fuel, or fades into NFL history.
