BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Browns would like to remind you that there is a season coming soon and their expectations are unchanged in case anyone got too caught up in the whole Deshaun Watson disciplinary settlement thing Thursday.
“We have a talented team, we have confidence in Jacoby Brissett, and we are looking forward to going forward,” managing and principal partner Jimmy Haslam said Thursday afternoon.
To Haslam’s point, with Watson available for a full season, the Browns are legitimate playoff, if not Super Bowl, contenders. The settlement on discipline for Watson, which will keep him off the field until the first weekend of December, throws that into question.
“We still have 17 games to play,” executive vice president of football operations Andrew Berry said. “We think we have a number of talented players and coaches who are in that locker room. Our expectation is still to have a competitive team and go and try to win every game.”
Watson will be unavailable for the first 11 games this season after reaching a disciplinary settlement with the NFL that included a $5 million fine as well as mandatory evaluation and treatment for being found in violation of the league’s personal conduct policy by independent arbitrator and former federal judge Sue L. Robinson in the wake of two dozen lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct being filed against him.
With Watson’s fate finally determined, the organization is full steam ahead and behind backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett who is being called upon to fill in.
“We are excited about Jacoby and have a ton of trust in Jacoby,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “When Deshaun is ready, he will rejoin the team.”
While there may be external speculation that the Browns might go QB shopping – say for Jimmy Garoppolo, who is on the trade block, Berry and the Browns – at least publicly – are content with Brissett.
“No 1, we brought in Jacoby and we feel very good about Jacoby,” Berry said. “We like what we have seen throughout the spring and we have liked what we have seen throughout the summer so we have a high degree of confidence in him. No different than any other position on the roster, we will continue to evaluate our team over the course of the camp, but really pleased with Jacoby.”
Brissett, who has had to fill in for Tom Brady, Andrew Luck and now Watson, has started 37 of the 60 games he’s appeared in over his career, which enters its seventh season. He was thrust into a starting role for the Colts in 2017 and 2019 that saw him make 30 of those starts.
Brissett owns a 60.2 career completion percentage and a 36 to 17 touchdown to interception ratio.
“We have a lot of confidence in Jacoby,” Berry said. “We have seen him play in Indianapolis and Miami. We have seen him here on the practice field. We think he has had a really good camp so we have a lot of confidence.”
Stefanski began the transition from Watson to Brissett getting most of the reps with the first team offense in training camp earlier this week and Watson’s workload will continue to recede.
Watson will not play in the remaining two preseason games. Brissett will get his work in against the Eagles during the joint practices and then sit Sunday’s preseason game out at FirstEnergy Stadium and he’s in line to start Week 1 in Carolina on September 11.
“I would tell you this is a team,” Stefanski said. “The guys have trust in each other, and I know they have trust in Jacoby. Ultimately, this is the best team game there is.”