Getty Images Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns.
The mood is beginning to change in Northeastern Ohio, as Deshaun Watson is now just two days away from taking the field for the first time as quarterback of the Cleveland Browns.
Excitement has started to bubble over inside the locker room, as well as amongst fans. Star pass rusher Myles Garrett, who has become the primary face and voice of the Browns organization this season, spoke to Watson’s return during his media availability on Friday, December 2.
“[@deshaunwatson] is very talented” @Flash_Garrett
“I guess there is some excitement to see, you know, what he can do, just because it’s been a couple years since we’ve seen him on the football field. And last time we saw him, he was, I mean, he was electric,” Garrett told reporters, per the Browns Twitter page. “We’ve all been a part of it, or seen it in some way, shape or form. But the man is very talented, and there is a little bit of excitement building.”
Watson Changes Dynamic of Browns’ Offense, How Teams Defend
Getty ImagesQuarterbacks Jacoby Brissett (left) and Deshaun Watson (right) of the Cleveland Browns talk during a practice prior to the start of the 2022 regular season.
After missing the first 11 games of the season due to a suspension from the NFL, Watson will step in for Jacoby Brissett this Sunday against the Houston Texans. Brissett garnered a good deal of respect in the Browns locker room over his three months as the starter, but even teammates who loved playing with him are excited about what Watson brings to the table.
Watson was a prolific passer in Houston over four seasons, throwing for more than 14,500 yards, along with 104 TDs and just 36 interceptions on his way to three consecutive Pro-Bowl selections between 2018-20. While Brissett’s play was solid, more or less, across his 11 starts in Cleveland, Watson is almost certain to get more out of the Browns’ considerable pass-catching talent.
Tight end David Njoku spoke to Watson’s skill set during an interview with MMQB’s Albert Breer last Sunday following Cleveland’s overtime victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“Oh my God, I can’t wait,” Njoku told Breer. “He’s a beast. That’s all I’m gonna say. I ain’t gonna get into any more detail. Can’t spoil it.”
Pro-Bowl offensive guard Wyatt Teller also spoke with Breer, noting that Watson’s ability to pass the ball will force opposing defenses to account more for the Browns’ passing game instead of stacking the box against what has been one of the league’s best rushing attacks even despite all the extra attention.
Defensive coordinators will also have to consider how frequently to let pass rushers pin their ears back and storm the backfield, as Watson’s ability to run has the capacity to keep them more honest. Beyond what he did through the air, the quarterback also rushed for 1,677 yards and 17 touchdowns during his time with the Texans.
“You can’t stack the box, right? That’s what they’ve been doing against our run,” Teller told Breer. “They’ve been blitzing. Good luck. He’ll make you pay.”
Browns to Play Texans Without Njoku After Knee Injury Against Bucs
GettyTight end David Njoku will miss his third game of the 2022 regular season when the Cleveland Browns square off against the Houston Texans on December 4.
Unfortunately for both Watson and Njoku, the latter is set to miss the former’s 2022 debut due to a knee injury.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Njoku suffered the injury late in the team’s victory over the Bucs last Sunday, during which the tight end scored the dramatic game-tying touchdown that forced the extra period.
It will be Njoku’s third missed contest of the season through 13 weeks after he sustained an ankle injury against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 7, which knocked him out for two games. Njoku is currently third on the Browns’ roster in both receptions and receiving yards, as well as second in receiving touchdowns.