2022 is playoffs or bust for the Browns following the Deshaun Watson trade
The Cleveland Browns won the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes. In that process, they decided to take on a controversial player with the sole goal of him leading them to a Super Bowl. The question is, will it be worth it?
That is the ultimate question in this scenario. Not only did the team take on a player who could face a suspension from the NFL, but they gave him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract as well. This symbolized the organization and owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam going all-in to win a title, no matter the cost.
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But let's take a step back. Recent years have seen the Browns enter as perceived Super Bowl favorites, only to not even make the postseason. In fact, the Browns have made the postseason twice since 1999, with the latest appearance being a defeat in the Divisional Round in early 2021 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
So even getting to the playoffs will be a challenge for this franchise, no matter the roster they have on paper. This is especially true when considering Watson may miss a chunk of games. And even if it's only a small amount, the AFC is stacked this season. Even the AFC North features two other Super Bowl contenders in the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens.
That means that no matter what the quarterback situation is, the entire roster and coaching staff could face wholesale changes if the team shocks fans by missing the playoffs once again.
The Cleveland Browns are out of patience after acquiring Deshaun Watson
One could claim that Watson missing time offers an excuse for potentially missing the postseason. Yet that simply cannot be the case.
Fans in Cleveland are also aware that ownership has a short leash when it comes to coaches, even when it seems like everything is fantastic. Since the current ownership group took over, Hue Jackson has coached the most games with 40. Kevin Stefanski is currently at 33, so he should break that mark next year.
Yet an ugly finish could have the Haslams wondering why they are paying the likes of Watson, Myles Garrett, and Nick Chubb so much if the team is not even competing for a Super Bowl.
The logic could end up being that the team is just a top coach away from competing. Again, this may seem illogical to fans outside of Cleveland. Yet the same cycle has repeated itself multiple times under this ownership group.
#Browns coach Kevin Stefanski on potential suspension for Deshaun Watson: It's something we've spoken about, until we know that final answer it's speaking in hypotheticals, but we need to be ready to go to Jacoby Brissett
Yet it is fair to expect a playoff berth as a bare minimum given the expanded seven-team format and the fact the team continues to be projected to be a contender. If they fall short of that goal, with a full season of Watson or not, it makes sense to make changes to address the problem before everything spirals as it just did with Baker Mayfield.
Also Read: “I think they should be held accountable” - NFL analyst puts Browns ownership on notice for not being at Deshaun Watson’s press conference