Myles - Connecting the Dots

My last Brown BLog post dealt with the obvious:  Deshaun Watson is going to be the Cleveland Browns QB in 2026 and I believe it very likely he will both play well and the Browns will have a surprisingly successful 2026 season.  

What my post did not address is yet another obvious fact.  Under no circumstances will Deshaun Watson be a member of the Cleveland Browns in 2027.   For starters, even if the Browns want Watson to return, he will not.   The cheering by Browns fans in the aftermath of his 2024 injury locked that outcome in but Watson would also be 31 years old, he may well be the 2026 Comeback Player of the Year but considering the history of injuries and the volume of potential franchise QB's coming into the 2027 draft, I think the Browns will be ready to move on too.

So where does that leave the Browns today?

It leaves the Browns with an urgent need to accumulate draft capital to position themselves to move up to the top of the 2027 draft.

How can they do that?   Only one way:  Trade Myles Garrett, soon.

Yes Myles Garrett is a future Hall of Famer and he most certainly is the best player in today's NFL however the Seattle Seahawks with their innovative defensive blitzing schemes, proved last season that you can win in the NFL with a defensive line that is good but you don't necessarily need one dominant pass rusher.   That said, Myles Garrett transforms a defense for one simple reason.   His presence means your defense is playing with 10 defenders against 9 offensive opponents because it takes double teams to even have a hope of stopping Myles Garrett.   Some team that is close to winning it all will pay a big premium to get Myles Garrett.

Now is the time.  Garrett is reigning NFL Defensive Player of the year, he's 30 years old and at the peak of his game but the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is Arch Manning and in the NFL, a franchise QB is a must if you aspire to consistent winning and to Super Bowls

Let's get real about Deshaun Watson

Maybe it is only obvious to me, but Deshaun Watson is going to be the Browns starting QB this season and well he should be.  

Let's start this topic by looking at a few important points

- As bad as the perception is of the Deshaun Watson project, Watson is 9-10 as Browns QB.  He gives us the best chance to have a good season in a year in which the strength of schedule is weak.

- I will never understand how fans could boo Watson when he was hurt.  I wrote this the day after it happened.  Watson is a warrior and unfortunately too many Browns fans disrespected him in a terrible moment.   We should support our QB.  Pittsburgh fans forgave Ben Rothlisberger for alleged acts FAR worse than anything Watson was ever accused of.  Grow up folks!

- The play that ruined Watson's right shoulder was a designed run between the tackles called by Kevin Stefanski in a game vs Tennessee.  On that play, Donovan Peoples-Jones decided to take the play off instead of blocking his man Tennessee safety #37 Amani Hooker.  Peoples-Jones was traded a few weeks later which was no coincidence but Kevin Stefanski's play call to run his $230M QB between the tackles has to be one of the worst play calling decisions in NFL history

Watch the play that ruined Deshaun Watson for 2 years  click right here to go to the play 

Watson kept playing that day, but mark my words, THAT was the play that tore Watson's shoulder up and it is 100% on Kevin Stefanski and #11 DPJ

All of the above adds up to one thing in my mind.  Watson was basically a .500 QB playing hurt and playing with a playcaller who consistently called plays that Watson was not suited to.   Todd Monken won't repeat those mistakes.

Watson is clearly 100% now and he's going to put up a good season under Todd Monken.