The Opening Drive 12/11: The Browns Ability To Sell Deshaun Watson On Their Vision For 2026 Will Impact The Way They Can Move This Offseason
The Browns must clearly communicate their expectations to Watson while selling him on their vision for him in 2026.
The Browns are approaching a franchise-defining offseason—one that extends well beyond Kevin Stefanski’s future or the identity of the offense. Looming beneath it all are questions about how Deshaun Watson and the Browns will manage a season in which he’s on the roster, under contract, but not expected to see the field.
Adam Schefter’s reporting recently eliminated one uncertainty: barring something unforeseen, Watson will indeed be with the Browns in 2026. But that clarification leads to a far more critical question the organization must answer internally: What version of Watson are they getting? A cooperative veteran backup? Or a proud competitor unwilling to fade into a secondary role?
The answer matters because Watson’s career is at a crucial intersection. He turns 31 this offseason, and his reputation across the league is no longer defined by the electric quarterback he was in 2020, but by three consecutive seasons marked by inconsistency, injury, and the weight of the largest guaranteed contract in NFL history.
If the Browns decide they are going to move on from Stefanski, they need to be able to answer the Deshaun Watson question that is inevitably coming when each candidate sits down to interview in Berea. The best thing the Browns can do is get in front of the situation with Watson and have the expectations conversation early. Making it clear that they have no intention of playing him—paired with a well-constructed plan to treat 2026 as a political season used to rehab his image and body—would be the best path forward. That approach gives them a willing participant in their plans for 2026, rather than a potential problem if Watson attempts to force his way into playing time.
A strong argument can be made that the NFL needs to see him healthy, steady, and fully bought into the role of a positive veteran teammate who can be an asset to young quarterbacks. That is Watson’s only real path to catching on elsewhere as a backup. No team will take a chance on a quarterback who appears disgruntled or resistant to backup duties—especially one whose recent body of work raises questions about both durability and performance. The only way he positions himself for a future opportunity is by proving he can prepare professionally and effectively operate an offense if another team calls on him. There will be chances; quarterbacks get hurt, offenses slump, and seasons take unexpected turns. A veteran who stays ready is employable. A veteran who creates tension is not.
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This is where the temptation becomes dangerous for Watson. Competitors at his level don’t accept demotion easily, and it would be understandable if he felt compelled to create pressure for a quarterback competition or push back privately against the idea of spending the season as a gameday inactive. But none of those avenues leads anywhere productive. Public or private agitation won’t change the league’s perception of him, nor will it convince another franchise to overlook the past three years. It would only reinforce the belief that he struggles to accept coaching or adapt to a diminished role. If he goes that route, he risks shrinking an already limited list of future suitors down to zero.
For Cleveland, this situation cannot be allowed to fester in ambiguity. Before the Browns even decide whether Stefanski stays or a new coaching search begins, they must initiate a direct, transparent conversation with Watson about expectations for 2026. Any serious head-coaching candidate will walk into their interview asking two critical questions: What exactly is Watson’s role, and how will he respond to it? No coach wants to inherit a quarterback room where the backup has the potential to create instability or undermine the starter. The Browns need to be in a position to confidently assure candidates that Watson understands the plan, accepts it, and intends to carry himself professionally. If they can’t say that with certainty, their candidate pool narrows immediately.
For Watson, the path forward is straightforward, even if it isn’t glamorous. He cannot undo the injuries, the fallout from the contract, or the missed opportunities. But he can control the next twelve months. The smartest thing he can do is protect his reputation, stay prepared, and treat 2026 as a reset—a chance to show the league he can be durable, coachable, and ready when called upon. That approach gives him a realistic shot at landing a bridge-starter role or a high-end backup job in 2027. Anything else will only further damage his long-term prospects.
The Bottom Line
For the Browns, the priority is clarity. They must define Watson’s role early, therefore attempting to remove any uncertainty that could complicate a coaching transition or disrupt locker-room chemistry. This franchise is no longer centered around Watson’s arc. His role is shifting, and the Browns must manage that shift with precision and honesty.
This is a pivotal moment for both sides. Watson’s best move is professionalism and patience. The Browns’ best move is communication and control. They can coexist in 2026, but only if they confront the realities of this situation now, before the coaching carousel begins to spin and before assumptions become problems neither side can fix.
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