What Makes Deshaun Watson’s Situation With the Cleveland Browns So Tricky?

Let’s face it: the Cleveland Browns currently look pathetic with Deshaun Watson. Under ideal circumstances, a team worth its salt would have benched the QB at the very least. However, if we go by HC Kevin Stefanski’s latest presser, this isn’t an option for them.

While many are baffled by how the QB continues getting the confidence of his head coach, the reality is not as straightforward as it seems to be.

The first and most obvious reason the Cleveland Browns will try to hold onto Watson as much as possible is his five-year, $230 million contract. While hindsight is always 20/20, betting this much on a QB who has consistently faced disciplinary and off-field issues was always a risk. Unfortunately for the Browns and their fanbase, this risk has exploded right in their faces.

There are very few owners in the NFL who would deal with this situation the way it should be dealt with — acknowledge the mistake and bench the player. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done, as making a $230 million mistake is simply not acceptable in the cutthroat world of the NFL.

According to former NFL quarterback Chase Daniels, this is also the reason why Kevin Stefanski is unable to bench Deshaun. In his latest episode of “Scoop City,” Daniel argued that it was the Haslams’ decision to offer Watson a whopping contract, and if Stefanski benched him, Jimmy and Dee Haslam would “look like idiots.”

“I am not convinced at any point at all that this is a Kevin Stefanski decision. It is 100% coming from the owner… [They must be like] we gave him this contract, we don’t want to look like idiots again… Kevin Stefanski’s hands are tied in my opinion.”

That said, the complexities in the Deshaun Watson problem don’t end here.

Is there a coaching issue with Watson?

Rather than complaining about the contract situation or ownership decisions, the best approach for Kevin Stefanski and Co. is to play the cards they are dealt. The question, however, remains: Is the Browns’ offensive cohort in sync to do that?

As speculated by Daniels, the offensive coaching team of Ken Dorsey and Kevin Stefanski himself seems a bit uncertain about how to make the most of Deshaun.

The former NFL quarterback noted that Stefanski’s attempt to merge his under-center offense with Dorsey’s spread offense is clearly not working because Deshaun simply isn’t fitting into those play structures.

The more this abysmal form continues for the Browns, the more unattractive the team will become. Keeping all these factors in mind, deciding to bench Watson isn’t as straightforward as it seems.

The best course of action right now appears to be developing a more suitable tactical plan for the QB and hoping that Watson can improve upon it. If not, this is going to be a long season for the Browns.