“That’s the most maddening thing,” one former star exclaimed, and you could almost hear the collective groan of Browns fans. The frustration’s real, especially with the team’s fate resting squarely on Deshaun Watson’s shoulders.

In a sit-down on UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio, Chris Canty didn’t hold back. “Deshaun Watson, even though physically he might not be what he wants, he’s still the quarterback for this team in order to have success.” This is the reality fans are wrestling with: a franchise QB who might not be able to get the job done. And then there’s Joe Flacco—remember him? The guy who, at 38 years young, stepped in and led this team to the Super Bowl. “Put Joe Flacco anywhere except the New York Jets, and he goes ‘oomph,’” Canty declared, serving up a heaping dose of reality about Flacco’s talent and Cleveland’s mismanagement.

The former DL’s frustration doesn’t stop there. He unleashed some heat on HC Kevin Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry, making it clear that he sees them as far from sympathetic figures in this mess. “And that’s the most maddening thing; this is probably why I can’t look at Stefanski or Andrew Berry, the general manager, as sympathetic figures in all of this. Because even though the owner’s the one who has to say whether Deshaun Watson is the one to play, the owner’s not meddling when it comes to the backup quarterbacks.” Ouch! He pointed out that the owner didn’t step in to say, “Hey, let’s ditch Flacco for Jameis Winston!” when the financials were essentially a wash. 

The mention of Jameis Winston goes to show the missed opportunity; the Browns decided to avoid the drama that could come from having a solid backup and instead put all their eggs in Watson’s basket. The 41-year-old laid it out perfectly when he said, “You sold your soul to Deshaun Watson, and then you got rid of the only viable alternative that you’ve had in the building since Watson showed up at QB, which was Joe Flacco. There’s no world in which that makes sense.” This just goes to show how much Cleveland’s sacrificed—both financially and strategically—by committing to Watson, all while missing out on other options that could actually lead to success.

Let’s rewind for a moment: last offseason, the Browns decided to go all in on Deshaun Watson, dishing out a $230M fully guaranteed contract. Per ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio: Cleveland didn’t even give Flacco a ring about returning for 2024. “His phone definitely didn’t ring from Cleveland,” Florio reported. The team’s strategy seems to revolve around the reality that if the Clemson Tigers’ standout falters, the fans would immediately scream for Flacco to take the helm. “They couldn’t afford that kind of pressure and distraction on their franchise quarterback,” Florio noted, effectively summarizing their anxiety. 

So what now? The Browns are stuck with their $230M man, but if Watson keeps stumbling, they might be forced to reconsider their options. As the pressure mounts week after week, one thing’s for sure: Watson downplayed a sideline spat, but it feels like that’s just the tip of the iceberg. 

Deshaun Watson downplayed Cleveland Browns’ sideline spat 

The 29-year-old downplayed a sideline spat with Jameis Winston during the Browns’ 16-20 loss to the Raiders on Sunday. Toward the end of the first half, cameras caught Watson and Winston giving RT Dawand Jones an earful after a crucial blown block led to a hit on Watson while attempting a pass to Amari Cooper.

Jones, who had allowed DE Tyree Wilson a free path to Watson, was clearly the target of frustration. Watson was seen yelling and clapping his hands at Jones immediately after the play, while Winston was held back by teammates on the sideline. “Just trying to be great, that’s it,” the three-time Pro Bowl QB said, who snagged 24 of 32 passes for 176 yards, one TD, and an interception. “We just all got to get on the same page so we can execute and try to win and be explosive. That was it. We all knew [the play would have been a touchdown]. We’ve just got to execute and be on the same page to make those big plays.”

Jones took the criticism in stride. “I’m more mad at myself.” The loss dropped the Browns to 1-3 for the first time under coach Stefanski. As Cleveland prepare for their next game, the players know they have to rally together to turn their season around.