Browns HC doesn't hold back on Deshaun Watson expectations

The 2024 NFL campaign may very well be a make or break season for Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Since joining the Browns via trade in 2022, Watson has played in a grand total of 12 games over two seasons and hasn’t looked very impressive when he has been on the field.

Last year, the 28-year-old bowed out after six contests due to a shoulder injury and was forced to undergo surgery. He is expected to be ready for Week 1, but there are obvious concerns about his potential effectiveness.

Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski laid out his massive expectations for Watson this coming season during a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show.

“We always talk about how we want the best version of ourselves. I want the best version of Deshaun,” Stefanski told Eisen. “He is constantly getting better. I see so many of the veterans, Rich as you know, every single year you challenge them to get better. Even the guys who are at the height of their craft look at Myles Garrett, who is coming off being Defensive Player of the Year. He will be challenged by both of us, and I know he does this to himself, he needs to get better and there are things he can do to get better.”

Watson threw for 1,115 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions while completing 61.4 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 84.3 in 2023.

“I know Deshaun is in the same boat,” continued Stefanski. “He wants to be better, he wants to play better, every single game, every single year. … I’m excited for where he is right this minute with plenty of work to do. I know he’s going to continue to get better and get healthy. But I’m excited about Deshaun.”

The Browns Can be Dangerous with a Healthy Deshaun Watson

If Watson is healthy and rediscovers his old Houston Texans form in 2024, the Browns can be one of the most dangerous teams in football.

Cleveland went 11-6 last season in spite of Watson only playing in six games, as the club’s defense ranked No. 1 in the NFL.

Watson also has some solid weapons at his disposal in the form of wide receivers Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore, plus tight end David Njoku.

Remember: the Clemson product once led the NFL with 4,823 passing yards yards back in 2020, adding 33 touchdowns and just seven picks. So, Watson has performed at a high level before.

The question is, can he do it again?

If Deshaun Watson can dig deep and find what made him an elite quarterback in Houston, the Browns will be a forced to be reckoned with in the AFC.