Today marked another important checkpoint for Deshaun Watson as he moves closer to his 2022 debut. The Browns quarterback took part in his first practice with the team on Wednesday. 
Watson’s suspension imposed limits on his involvement with the team leading up to his reinstatement later this season. The last milestone came in October, when he was first allowed to resume certain activities including meetings and individual workouts. Today marked the first day during which he was eligible to practice in full with the team.
By receiving clearance to take the field, Watson remains on track to meet all necessary criteria from the suspension agreed upon by the NFL and NFLPA in August. That deal included an 11-game ban, $5MM fine and mandatory counseling. He is in line to make his Cleveland debut in Week 13 against his previous team, the Texans.
The Browns brought in Jacoby Brissett to serve as the bridge starter between the start of the campaign and Watson’s return. The veteran has put up middling numbers – a 63.8% completion percentage, 8:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio and passer rating of 87.1. That essentially falls in line with expectations entering the season, one in which the Browns were always poised to lean heavily on their ground game.
Doing so has produced the league’s tenth-highest scoring offense, but only a 3-6 record to date. As a result, Brissett’s final two games as the starter could go a long way in determining the team’s postseason outlook. That presents a problem for the Browns with respect to managing each QB’s workload during practice. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, along with James Palmer of NFL Network (video link) note that Watson received some first-team reps in an attempt to get him acclimated.
Preparation for the 27-year-old will remain key given his year-long stint on the sidelines with the Texans last year, not to mention the Browns’ five-year, $230MM commitment to him which is fully guaranteed despite the sexual misconduct and sexual assault allegations which made him the league’s biggest offseason storyline. As he presumably takes on a larger workload in the coming days and weeks, the Browns will look to remain in contention by the time he makes his first regular season appearance.
Wonder if this man will be as good at getting first downs as he is rub downs or if the browns will be clowns once again but this time it’s not egg on your face
How long have you been saving that?
Too long and cheesy like a string of bad dad jokes.
It’s a shame brownsbacker didn’t live to see this.
Yeah. I miss him. Well, almost
I wonder if he went to one of the get rich quik sites the spammers were pushing on here and is now making $1500 a day…lol.
They finally ban him?
He only raped 3 teammates today.
A good start.
Not raping anyone for 11 weeks is a pretty high bar for the man to meet!
Very odd that he went hands on, teaching his wideouts a rub route on day 1.
Yippee! The guy would be in jail if he wasn’t a NFL Quarterback….. what a shame and sad statement for society
I dont understand why Watson got suspended for 10, 11 weeks when Ben Roethlisberger was convicted of more serious crimes, sexual misconduct versus sexual assault and Ben got a 3 or 4 game suspension? Can anyone explain that?
That was then, this is now.
Because none of that is accurate, mostly.
Convicted? Not even charged, spunky. Watson is a creep who got less than he deserved as punishment.
Steelers fans think it’s ok that their qb is a known predator
Kenny did what now?
As for Big Ben, he definitely learned his lesson.
The first case in Harrah’s hotel in Lake Tahoe, NV … In all fairness the victim was on film boasting about the event. She filed charges a year later.
The Georgia incident was a private birthday party that had security. The victim blew “Highly Intoxicated” and was still wearing her “DTF” (Down To F**k) pin that she chose to wear to get into the party. Her best friend was also wearing a “DTS” (S**k) pin.
The best part is while in the police cruiser in Georgia the officer asked Ben why he shouldn’t lock him up and throw away the key. Ben replied “Big Ben 2 Peyton 1” — A reference to Super Bowl wins. The officer then took a pic with Ben.
Ben had a reputation around town when he was first was drafted. You can ask almost any local woman who went out for a drink in trendy young people locations and they’ll tell you Ben was there, doing his lounge lizard act and acting as the football God. I’ve heard the descriptions of “pig,” “scumbag” and other assorted items not fit to print
I don’t think it was ever a case of Ben “learning his lesson” after these two cases. Instead, I’m sure someone within the Steelers infrastructure was tasked with setting his rear end straight
In short order, he’s popping up at charitable events, running youth camps, donating police dogs, finding Jesus and a wife. A few kids later and it’s all a distant memory
Point is, I think you have a lot of young athletes who come into fame and fortune and then believe they are like kids in the candy store with regards to women. It’s lucky for them that money can make their problems go away, and if they are even more fortunate, have someone within their franchise that sets them straight
As a dinosaur, I have to say I find it extremely difficult to be a fan of any athlete these days. The salaries, the arrogance and cavalier nature —and this kind of stuff—well, it’s sickening.
I’m a fan of various sports now and the city or team name on a jersey, but beyond that…no thanks
It’s been a while. He’s gonna be sore. He should probably get a massage afterwards.