DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum What can we expect from DW?

Oh no! University of Texas QBs stink in the NFL.

After what they spent on watson....and after putting their careers on the line to sign that deal with watson.....They can't really afford to say anything other than that they have confidence in watson. Even if they don't they can't say it. I know I wouldn't say anything other than that if I were in their shoes.

It would seem if people wanted to know what people thought about watson they wouldn't count on the word of people whose careers are on the line to get a non bias view.

For them to do anything other than publicly support DW as long as he is the named starter in Cleveland would not only be unprofessional, it would be divisive to the team in general. Something no FO should ever do.

Hope is all we have with regards to DW.

I find Zack to be a bit melodramatic, but you really didn’t hear about any good days.

That and $6.85 will get you a starbucks.

I make my own coffee cuz it’s the best, so I won’t spend $7 on a a cup of coffee anywhere

expecting Watson to be anything other than average/below average is a fantasy. He might make a few plays, but he's not nearly the player we paid for

Agreed. DW needs to show us that he can be AVAILABLE for a LARGE majority of the season, he needs to produce, LEAD this team to a deep playoff run. Anything else is pretty much unacceptable and would give me as a fan a reason to be OK with the Browns moving on in 2025. We all keep hearing this roster is ready to go. Well, it's time to GO. No more excuses. It's time. Period.

I agree with this but not because he got worse. I think he’s the player he’s always been. He’s a backyard football player. Stefanski doesn’t run that kind of offense.

I think they brought in Dorsey because they built backyard football concepts into the offense for Josh Allen. But he was still expected to drop back, plant, read, react. Those are things Watson really struggles with.

I think the Watson we will get this year will be the same as the last two years. His mental edge I believe is missing as well. Not sure he’s good at blocking out the noise which affects his play.

If that is indeed the case, then anyone with a brain in Berea should KNOW that he's NOT the guy. The team needs a LEADER on offense. LEADERS can function in ANY environment. That's what makes them LEADERS. SMH

my guess is that the coaches know Watson is not it - but what can you do about it? He's getting paid so much money

IMO, I think DW will play well enough to at least keep us in playoff contention and get us to the playoffs. We have a lot of talent around him which will be a big help. Posters get hung up on how much he makes but if not DW then we'd be paying someone else big money. If Baker were still here he'd probably be getting paid 35-40 million. It's not much less than DW. I don't concern myself about the money with me it's the 3 #1 picks we gave up. If he fails, and we hope that's not the case, those lost picks will hurt the most.

Anything less than the playoffs this year under DW would be a fail in my book. We’ve waited long enough to see this elusive TOP 5 QB play we paid for in his acquisition. I personally don’t see it happening, but we shall see.

The honest answer is perfection. Just admit it we as fans expect perfection, and when we don't see it we get cranky. What will I be happy with? If he can just play like a top 10 qb this year.

It seems all you're asking him to do is what his pay equals him doing. When you get paid in the top 10 you should perform in the top 10. I agree with you.

Stefanski and his coaches need to use all their experience, expertise and wisdom to create the best possible environment for Watson to get the best version of him.

He needs at least three probably four reliable WRs and TEs that on regular basis can create separation both on vertical and horizontal routes.

He needs Chubb back to full fitness so our running game can provide a good option when he and the receivers don’t sync.
He needs a OL who protect him whenever his thought process freezes and he becomes too slow.

He needs luck. Tons of luck.

Apart from that I think he will do fine. I can’t see anything that can go wrong

If he’s healthy we can with a bit of luck end the season with 11-6, and maybe maybe we can reach a conference final.

Our O has to establish itself even before Nick comes back. If he comes back like the Chubb we know great because D's have to gameplan for him but we can't be relying on it. We have to establish an identity before that. JMO

Preach!

If the Browns win, no one will care about his stats.

I've said many times. He needs to be a better game manager. He prioritizes scoring when needed and managing the clock with a lead. The stats will come.

You don't sign game managers to a guaranteed 230 million dollar contract.

KC signed Mahomes. New England signed Brady. Indianapolis and Denver signed Manning.

True winners of the game learned to manage the game. Winning in the playoffs means you must string four or five wins against the best. It takes all facets of the game to win, keep your defense fresh, wear down your opponent, and score when needed.

Mahomes is not winning games because he can throw trick passes on Sunday and highlight on Monday. His offense is efficient. He controls the clock. He doesn't make many mistakes. When he doesn't score, the opposition starts on their end of the field. There is a reason why he takes over the game in the fourth quarter. It is no different than a prize fighter. You wear down your opponent mentally and physically.

Brady and Manning did the same if not better.

I am unsure when categorizing a QB as a "game manager" became a sign of weakness. Montana was the best game manager of all time.

Watson has the physical talent. He needs to elevate his mental talent. Note his stats in Houston and the number of wins. You can make an argument the talent around him is bad. Then ask yourself does KC have an overabundance of talent? Does Cleveland have more talent than KC? How did Cleveland do in the playoffs with the talent and Flacco?

First, KC drafted Mahommes. New England drafted Brady and Indy drafted Peyton. What they didn't do was give up three first round draft picks to another team to acquire them plus their contract money.

Secondly, these were all great QB's. Trying to diminish their accomplishments by labeling them as game managers is totally false.

Mayfield is a game manager.

His "stats in Houston" ended in 2020. It's not a question of whether he had it. the question is does he still have it. And I'm certainly hoping he does. But at some point he has to show that. Now is that time.

Exactly. Bringing up other QBs and their respective situations only muddies the convo, no offence to bugs.

2024 is the year Watson has to bring it. If he doesn’t get hurt, then DW has to ball out from opening day. Just being ordinary won’t even cut the mustard.

The picks are gone and they aren’t coming back and while they are part of the story, as is the money, the only thing left to be written or to worry about is what he does, starting September 8.

We’ll see, but I don’t see those two doing anything good if DW is down again. Winston might keep us in games, that’s about it. DTR is a trash QB.

3 games when he was thrust into starting his rookie seasons does not a career make my friend.

Don't get hung up on the pay. I understand your angle, but his pay hasn't hurt the team. We haven't been hamstrung in who we can sign and haven't had to cut other top players to have him on the team. What we pay him really doesn't matter as long as it fits in to the cap structure. What seems shocking a few years ago doesn't seem so shocking today.

As for the draft picks if we include that in to cost, I don't think it has taken any real toll. We seem to have picked up enough players in the draft who off-set that, or at least mitigate it enough to make it a minor point. What might it have cost? Who knows, so we might as well not even go there.

One other thing in our favor is DTR. I am not as high on the guy as many on the board, but his rookie deal will expire about the time we can move on from Watson if need be. He hasn't played much and probably won't play much, so when it comes time to sign him back, he won't be in line for a huge contract. Maybe a 2 year, show me type deal. It will be a nice raise for him, but it won't be a $30-$40 mil per year type deal.

Sadly even people who fully understand how business operates post the things you do. The cost was huge. That's the investment. Claiming that three lost first round picks "I don't think it has taken any real toll" is sad to see someone post. In business you expect a return on your investment. You expect a players performance to be commensurate with the investment you made in that player. Anything less than that are nothing more than rationalizations being made by people trying to preemptively make excuses in the event that doesn't happen.

The only part of the whole DW thing that REALLY hurt us was losing the draft picks/.

Your labeling "Game Manger" as a weakness is a crime. All the Great QBs were game managers. Otherwise, they would not be great. You can have all the physical talent but without the mental talent, it's irrelevant.

Explain the difference between drafting a failed first-round QB and trading first-round picks. You lose the failed pick, but now you must pick a new QB. Are we saying it only costs one extra first-round pick?

Baker was more of a let it fly into traffic and hope your guy comes down with it/take a shot QB than a game manager. Not really a read the D and take what they give you QB. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, and a lot of the time you can't find a wide open OBJ because you decided you were going to somebody else whether they were covered or not. Luckily for him, Mike Evans is the best throw it up and he'll go get it WR, perhaps, of all time. He's made a couple former Browns QBs look good. Almost single handedly made Manziel's "magic" work at A&M.

I do agree that it's kind of weird that game manager has gotten a negative connotation. Some people just seem to tack it on to any "bad" QB.

Also KC traded up to get Mahomes, so he actually cost 2 1sts and a 3rd. They're now paying him the huge contract.

Good QBs are expensive. When the QB is on the trade market with multiple bidders, he's even more expensive.

The situation was what it was. It seemed a good QB was available. It cost what it cost. That's how markets work. The only available unit of a coveted commodity isn't going to be cheap.

Fortunately, Haslam has the money to burn. We weren't going to tear things down again to get bad enough to have a shot at a great QB prospect in the draft. Plus, as we've found, great prospects can be a crapshoot.

We could have used the 3 first round picks on another Trey Lance. Sadly, it kind of has worked out similar to that way so far. But, nothing's settled. Watson wins a Superbowl here and it could be a great trade after all.

I expect DW to be what he's always been...a quick one-read guy who immediately looks to run...not run around in the backfield with his eyes downfield...but run it forward. Hopefully he heals up and is effective...but I'm not holding my breath. DW hasn't played a meaningful stretch of football for almost four years.

I'll add to the debate of 'worth' and draft picks...those three #1s would all be on cheaper, rookie contracts...for FIVE years.

j/c

I fully expect Watson to look "rusty" and for the narrative after the gam to be that we have a new system, he typically starts slow, etc. Rinse and repeat