Deshaun Watson officially reinstated by the NFL
By Randy Gurzi
The Cleveland Browns gave up three first-round picks for Deshaun Watson. Following an 11-game suspension, he’s now been officially reinstated by the NFL.
This offseason, the Cleveland Browns surrendered three first-round picks to acquire Deshaun Watson. Starting Monday, we can begin to see whether or not the move will pay off.
Watson, who was facing more than 20 accusations of sexual misconduct when traded, settled with the league on an 11-game suspension as well as a hefty fine. There were other terms he had to comply with in order to be reinstated by the NFL and he’s done so according to Adam Schefter.
That means Watson has been reinstated by the league starting on Monday, Nov. 28 and he will be allowed to start against his former team, the Houston Texans in Week 13.
Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has complied with the terms of his 11-game suspension, according to the NFL, and officially will be eligible on Monday to play his first game of the season next weekend against his former team, the Texans.https://t.co/lNMQglYRCp
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 27, 2022
Deshaun Watson will likely be rusty
Watson was recently allowed to begin practicing with the Browns but he hasn’t played in a real NFL game for nearly two years. That means there’s likely to be plenty of rust but the fact that he’s been working with his teammates since Nov. 16 could soften that blow.
It’s also fortunate he’s going to play the Texans, who are ranked 30th in overall defense this season. That could be a solid tune-up game, provided they don’t overlook them.
What can be expected in the final six games?
It’s not realistic at this point to be thinking playoffs. At 3-7, it’s not impossible, but it won’t be easy. As good as Watson is, they would need to win against Tampa Bay on Sunday and then hope he goes 6-0 or 5-1 — not to mention everything else that has to happen with other teams.
A more realistic approach would be to judge what each player looks like with Watson. From there, they can decide what holes need to be filled and hopefully, they will look well enough on offense to spend the majority of their resources in the offseason on their frustrating defense.
