This spring, Cleveland Browns insider Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland/The Land on Demand defined how new Cleveland offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey was tasked with constructing an offense meant to “consolation” beginning quarterback Deshaun Watson.
NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports activities Illustrated expanded on that matter for a bit printed on Wednesday.
Per Breer, Dorsey and head coach Kevin Stefanski “have labored to meld a few of the shotgun-oriented ideas that give slightly extra freedom to receivers with regimented under-center and run recreation components.” The hope is such an strategy “yields constructive outcomes for Deshaun Watson, who’s been simplest as a dropback passer from the shotgun and excels in off-schedule conditions.”
What Watson is and is not as an NFL QB1 at this level of his profession is basically a thriller due largely to the truth that he hasn’t performed plenty of significant soccer over the previous three years. He sat out the complete 2021 season whereas ready to be traded by the Houston Texans after which missed the primary 11 video games of his first Cleveland marketing campaign due to a suspension associated to allegations of sexual misconduct throughout therapeutic massage classes.
Watson started the 2023 season in Cleveland’s lineup however then made simply six begins earlier than he was sidelined with a severe shoulder damage.
Final month, Cleveland sports activities columnist Jason Lloyd of The Athletic ripped the Browns for changing Alex Van Pelt with Dorsey after veteran signal-caller Joe Flacco turned a fan-favorite en path to guiding the membership to the playoffs as Watson recovered from the shoulder-related setback. It has been made clear all through the majority of the 2024 offseason that the Browns at the moment are absolutely Watson’s workforce, for higher or for worse.
“Watson, for his half, has picked up—and invested in—the modifications rapidly,” Breer added concerning the quarterback’s working relationship with Dorsey. “Dorsey’s carried out so much so as to add to the shotgun dropback, tempo and (run-pass possibility) items of the offense, and Watson’s studying curve has been shortened in how he has some background in a Patriots-style offense, having performed for Invoice O’Brien for 4 years (with Houston).”
It is attainable the Browns may quickly discover methods to maneuver on from the absolutely assured five-year, $230M contract they gave Watson in March 2022 if he both fails to reclaim his Professional Bowl kind underneath Dorsey or goes down with one other worrisome damage. Feedback Watson made in late July counsel he is feeling the stress related to coming into what may turn out to be a make-or-break season with the group.