3 biggest questions we have about the Browns ahead of second preseason game

1. Will Deshaun Watson return to form?

The Cleveland Browns mortgaged their future for a franchise quarterback ahead of the 2022 campaign. They sent three first-round picks and a third-rounder to the Houston Texans in exchange for Deshaun Watson. They then gave him a $230 million contract which was fully guaranteed.

All of this was done despite Watson having a suspension lingering over his head — as well as more than 20 civil cases where he was being accused of sexual misconduct. He was eventually banned for 11 games and settled the majority of those cases.

He appeared in six games for Cleveland but wasn't anywhere close to the player we saw in 2020. Watson completed just 58.2 percent of his passing attempts for 1,102 yards with seven touchdowns and five picks. The Browns also went 3-3 in those six games.

Now headed into his first full season with the team, Watson is trying to turn back the clock — and he's in a position to succeed.

The noise surrounding him has dissipated quite a bit which might alleviate some of the pressure he felt in 2022. On top of that, the Browns have done all they can to build this offense around Watson, which wasn't the case last year.

For 11 games, they were built to the strength of Jacoby Brissett, who is a good backup but also a mere game manager. Watson, on the other hand, is a playmaker who needs more receiving targets.

The pieces are in place but there's still the question of whether or not Watson can get back to the player we saw in Houston.