The Cleveland Browns may have one of the best rosters in football, but their Super Bowl hopes are largely dependent on quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Watson is looking to finally make a positive impact for the Browns since coming over in a trade back in March 2022, and in order to do that, he needs to stay on the field.
For general manager Andrew Berry, that is the most important factor in Watson and Cleveland finding success in 2024.
"I think our biggest focus with Deshaun is just making sure that he's available," Berry said, via Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. "I think the rest will take care of itself."
It seems like a pretty obvious statement, but based on Watson's first couple of seasons with the Browns, it's something that has to be specified.
Watson missed 11 games during his debut campaign in Cleveland due to a suspension. Last year, he appeared in just six contests as a result of a shoulder injury that ultimately required surgery.
The 28-year-old did not participate in the preseason and experienced some soreness in training camp, so it remains to be seen how effective he will be in Week 1.
The Browns managed to win 11 games last season even with Watson only participating in five of those victories, but that is certainly not a situation in which Cleveland wants to find itself this time.
Watson has not played a full season since 2020 with the Houston Texans, when he led the NFL in passing yards and made his third straight Pro Bowl appearance. He sat out all of 2021 and has totaled 14 passing touchdowns and nine interceptions in 12 games with the Browns.
We'll see if Watson can get back on track when Cleveland hosts the Dallas Cowboys this Sunday.
