Deshaun Watson is back on the practice field in Cleveland, and Browns coach Todd Monken has high praise for him. However, former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho isn’t buying it.
Monken is in his first year as the Browns’ coach after being hired this offseason. Acho, who now co-hosts “Speakeasy” on FS1, spoke about the dynamic on Friday.
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“Deshaun Watson gives you hope,” Acho said, “but realistically speaking, is Deshaun gonna get back to 4800 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, Deshaun Watson? Let’s be real, probably not … and then Todd Monken’s making it worse.
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“So to me, he’s putting way too much pressure on Deshaun Watson, because realistically speaking, Deshaun is more likely to be bad, which he has been for the last four years, than he is to be good, which he hasn’t been in six years.”
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Monken commented on Watson on Wednesday, per Cleveland Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot.
“He’s made plenty of money,” Monken said. “I think we all know that. He’s had plenty of success and has had disappointments in his career. Some things he couldn’t control from an injury standpoint. But to come back and want to battle, want to further his career, and change the narrative, I think that’s really cool.”
Deshaun Watson signed a five-year, $230,000,000 fully guaranteed contract with Cleveland in 2022. It was the richest guaranteed deal in NFL history at the time. However, injuries derailed his career.
A torn Achilles tendon in October 2024 was a major injury for Brown, limiting him to 19 games total in Cleveland. He threw for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in that stretch. Watson has only one year left on his deal.
Early reports from the Browns’ voluntary OTAs are positive for Deshaun Watson
Deshaun Watson was the first quarterback to take individual drills at camp on April 21. Todd Monken said the ball was coming out well and that Watson moved around cleanly in the pocket. One NFL evaluator who spoke to ESPN said that if Deshaun Watson is even 80% of what he once was, that would be a win for Cleveland.
Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green are all competing for the starting spot heading into training camp. Sanders started the final seven games of last season, throwing for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns.
Edited by R. Elahi
