3 reasons Cleveland Browns are in win-now mode

Reason No. 1 the Cleveland Browns are in win-now mode

Deshaun Watson

The quarterback position is the most important position in any team sport and if you don’t have a good to great one in the NFL, you really don’t stand a chance of competing for a Super Bowl.

The Cleveland Browns have been searching and searching and searching and searching for a quarterback for the past 23 years. The fate of the franchise drastically changed when the team was able to trade for Deshaun Watson. Upon trading for him, the Browns gave Watson a five-year, $230 million, fully guaranteed contract.

That did not sit well with NFL owners, according to Pro Football Talk’s Peter King, who said that Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam were not the most popular at the league meetings on Sunday. Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said that the contract the Browns gave Watson complicates the quarterback market. In other words, he knows he will have to pony up some cash in order for Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson to remain with the team as he has yet to sign an extension and is set to play the 2022 season on his fifth-year option.

Now, back to Watson and what he brings to the table. It is not a secret that Watson is light years ahead of Baker Mayfield, who spent the past four seasons with the Browns after being drafted No. 1 overall back in 2018. The Browns went 8-9 last season, a year removed from their first playoff win in 26-years.

Mayfield simply was too inconsistent and now his future hangs in the balance. With the addition of Watson, this team is immediately Super Bowl contenders, especially when you look at the overall roster. Sure, there are some holes to fill at wide receiver, defensive line, and safety, but the front office will take care of that and with the addition of Watson, more players will likely be willing to take less money to come to Cleveland.

As for what we can expect from Watson on the field, he was an elite NFL quarterback for upwards of four seasons. In his career, he has passed for 14,539 yards, 104 touchdowns, and just 36 interceptions while completing 67.8 percent of his passes. He has shown he has what it takes to get it done in crunch time, something that has been missing for this team. He has also rushed 307 times for 1,677 yards and 17 touchdowns. That dual-threat play will be such a great tool for this Browns offense to have.

There are some out there that want to bring up his 28-25 record. Well, wins are not a quarterback stat and that’s not even debatable. Look at the roster that surrounded Watson in Houston and compare it to what he now inherits with the Browns. That will make a world of difference which will result in the team winning more games.

The Cleveland Browns are in win-now mode and have a legitimate shot at being the last team standing come February 12, 2023, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale Arizona.