No one really knows what to expect from Deshaun Watson in 2024. The Cleveland Browns quarterback is coming off of shoulder surgery, and he has played in a grand total of 12 games since 2021.
It should then come as no surprise that Watson—a three-time Pro Bowler—isn’t exactly getting a whole lot of respect in quarterback rankings heading into the coming season.
Dakota Randall of Pro Football Network recently released his own quarterback rankings, and he placed Watson 19th.
Randall qualified his ranking by saying that Watson “could be headed for a bounce-back campaign.” Randall’s caveat? Watson “needs to stay healthy.”
Watson played six games in 2023 and was in and out of the lineup before ultimately bowing out with a season-ending shoulder injury after the Browns’ Week 10 win over the Baltimore Ravens.
During the time he was on the field last year, the 28-year-old did not exactly light it up, throwing for 1,115 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions while completing 61.4 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 84.3.
Cleveland initially acquired Watson in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans in March 2022. He missed 11 games in his debut campaign due to a suspension.
Overall, Watson has accumulated 14 passing touchdowns and 11 picks with the Browns, which aren’t exactly enviable numbers.
There was a time when Watson was one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks. In 2020, for example, he led the league with 4,823 yards to go along with 33 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. That feels like eons ago, and it’s important to note that Watson sat out all of 2021.
Can Watson regain his Texans form in Cleveland? The Browns are certainly hoping so, considering they handed the signal-caller a fully-guaranteed five-year, $230 million extension upon acquiring him.
