It is Thursday, August 11, 2022, and the 2022 Cleveland Browns football season starts on Friday in Jacksonville with the first preseason game of the year for the Browns.
The team has revealed who the starting quarterback will be on Friday night, and that is our lead story in the Thursday edition of Browns Nation news and notes.
1. Watson Named The Starter For Jacksonville Game
Deshaun Watson has been named the starting quarterback for Friday’s night game.
Deshaun Watson expected to start Friday at QB, team announces #Browns
— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) August 10, 2022
He has not played an NFL game since Week 17 of the 2020 season.
Though Watson has not spoken publicly on many occasions since joining the Browns in March, he does not appear to be allowing the off-the-field issues to affect his on-the-field play.
Bro prepared like he starting day 1 lol 😂 #Browns pic.twitter.com/Dem3Nc3wDB
— Dleon Faith (@Dleon24_7) August 11, 2022
Of course, the NFL could still impact the Browns’ decision to play Watson.
If Peter Harvey issues a ruling on the NFL appeal of Sue L. Robinson’s six-game suspension before Friday night’s kickoff and if it becomes a one-year suspension, Watson will not be allowed to play at all during the preseason.
Interesting point by @ProFootballTalk just now on @PFT_Live…if Peter Harvey suspends Deshaun Watson for 1 year (not 17 games) before Browns game Friday, good chance NFL tells him he's not allowed to play at all this preseason.
— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) August 10, 2022
As with all things Browns, especially in 2022, stay tuned for any changes that could happen in Watson’s status.
2. Throwback Thursday
With all of the talk surrounding rookie kicker Cade York, it is time to take a throwback Thursday stroll down memory lane with a beloved and successful Browns kicker.
He is, of course, Phil Dawson.
Please be the next Phil Dawson https://t.co/B78ey3ESJO pic.twitter.com/0IyrwEKog2
— Nick Gall (@did_i_do_that12) August 2, 2022
https://twitter.com/VintageBrowns/status/1557180023450255363
Dawson was the poster boy for accuracy in his 14-year Browns career.
He only missed 58 field goals and 8 extra points from 1999 to 2012 in 215 career regular season games.
In the only playoff game Dawson appeared in with the Browns, he was perfect with 2 field goals and 3 extra points.
It is premature to compare York to Dawson, but if the Browns landed their next Dawson, fans will enjoy plenty of excitement in the kicking game for years to come.
Happy Thursday Browns fans!
NEXT: Jaguars Make Announcement About Who Will Play Versus Browns
