The Cleveland Browns have a new head coach, and that usually comes with some major changes. He has no allegiances to players or coaches, and he should be given a green light to execute his vision for the team.
As such, all quarterbacks may get a clean slate in Cleveland. Of course, that includes Deshaun Watson, the central figure in what may go down as the single worst trade in professional sports history.
According to team insider Mary Kay Cabot, Watson fits Monken's mold for his dream quarterback. As such, it wouldn't be shocking to see the former Houston Texans star win the starting job in Cleveland next season.
"(Monken) knows what Deshaun Watson is capable of when healthy. He's all about the mobile dual threat QB. Can Deshaun even run anymore like that? We don't know but he will have a chance to show what he can do," Cabot said on 92.3 The Fan.
Could Todd Monken unlock what’s left of Deshaun Watson?
The former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator has gushed about athletic quarterbacks in the past. And even though Watson may not be as mobile as he used to after all the injuries, he was certainly a legitimate dual-threat star in his heyday.
Granted, Browns fans have more than enough reasons to be firmly against this possibility. That being said, he's the best option they have in their quarterback room. That's an indictment of general manager Andrew Berry, of course, but it's just the way it is. They could look to trade for other proven starters, but it's not like they're in a position to give up valuable draft assets.
Watson posted MVP-caliber numbers in his final season in Houston. A lot has transpired since then. He's been one of the worst quarterbacks in the league by most metrics since he arrived in Northeast Ohio, and his demeanor and off-the-field scandals haven't done much to help his case, either.
Team owner Jimmy Haslam also went on the record to admit that trading for him was a mistake. And after watching Browns fans cheer when he fell with a season-ending injury, he might not have much sympathy for the organization or an interest in extending his career there once his contract finally runs up at the end of the 2026 season.
Still, he might be facing at a unique opportunity to salvage his career. And if Monken can get him even close to what he did with Lamar Jackson in Baltimore, even his biggest detractor will probably agree to look the other way.