Dan Orlovsky blames Deshaun Watson’s weight gain for forgettable return to football in 2022
After missing the entire 2021 season, Deshaun Watson made his return to the NFL last year with the Cleveland Browns. He was suspended for 11 games, which is why the quarterback was only able to play six games during his first year in Cleveland.
After he was traded by the Houston Texans, Watson signed a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract. However, his performances weren't good, and recently Dan Orlovsky said that Watson's weight gain was one of the primary reasons for it.
Deshaun Watson had a disappointing return to NFL
Here's what Orlovsky said about Deshaun Watson on ESPN's First Take:
"My concern is this. Candidly, one he looked slow, lethargic, and heavy last year. So he's got to get back to being a bouncy sudden twitchy athlete, his quarterback coach said he's lost some weight..."
Staying away from football for such a long time can degrade any player's fitness levels, and the same thing happened with Watson. He didn't look like his usual self in the six games that he played last season, but many people already expected it.
However, in this upcoming season, the Cleveland Browns quarterback has no excuses and is expected to play like he played in Houston. If he continues to not play well, the media will be on his throat and the franchise will be heavily criticized for offering him such a large contract last season.
Deshaun Watson is working hard to get back to his best
Last season, Watson threw for 1,102 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions with a passer rating of 79.1 in six games. Given how poor his numbers were, the quarterback has been working throughout the offseason to get back to his usual level.
He wants to win the Browns and prove everyone wrong who has doubted his ability on the field due to the things that happened off the field. During the offseason, he also restructured his contract, which created $35.8 million cap space for the franchise.
The Browns have a pretty good team but being in the AFC North has made their path to the playoffs much tougher. They will begin the new season against the Cincinnati Browns, and that game will provide a lot of clarity about what to expect from Watson and them in 2023.