The Cleveland Browns have a $230 million question the team is still attempting to answer seven weeks into the 2024 NFL campaign.
Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson – a player who signed a five-year, $230 million contract in 2022 – has held onto his job this season because the team could not solely pin his poor performance on him.
The league leader in sacks taken is not in that position because he holds onto the football too long; instead, it’s been a mixture of poor offensive line play as well as his inability to scramble away from would-be tacklers.
It’s also hard to ignore that Cleveland’s wide receiver corps leads the league in dropped passes through six games with 20 drops.
Part of that problem is gone; Amari Cooper – who had 10 drops through his first six games – is now wearing Buffalo’s uniform after this week’s trade.
The Browns are continuing to remove the obstacles that have been used as excuses for Watson’s poor performances.
Cleveland’s offensive line is starting to get healthier, and starting center Ethan Pocic is slated to return today against the Bengals.
His presence would mean four of the team’s starting five will be available on Sunday, and star running back Nick Chubb’s return means the team is as close to full health as possible.
While missing Cooper does mean a talented athlete is no longer here, questions about how effective the 30-year-old receiver will be are the Bills’ problem now.
Don’t forget the team spent the entire offseason revamping its offense to one that showcased Watson’s talents in Houston, abandoning their run-first philosophy under head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Cleveland has everything lined up for the organization to finally answer their $230 million question.
If Watson cannot thrive, the Browns won’t hesitate to draft his successor with next season’s first-round pick.
NEXT: Analyst Reveals What Nick Chubb's Return Will Do For Browns
