BEREA, Ohio – The insecurity surrounding Deshaun Watson has vanished along with the intense scrutiny of his private life.
Today, his passes are tighter and faster, and his demeanor is noticeably changing – on and off the pitch. He has a certain lightness.
Almost a year after his NFL suspension, Cleveland’s quarterback looks different.
“I’m feeling really good,” Watson said Wednesday after the Browns completed their second mini-camp practice session. “The biggest thing is the confidence, the knowledge of who I am, the confidence in what I’m doing, the confidence in the work I’ve put in over the last few years to get back to the position I’m in .
“I have fun.”
Confidence has returned and football seems to be fun again for Watson, who sat out 11 games last season for breaking the league’s rules of conduct for sexual misconduct after two dozen women accused him of inappropriate behavior at massage therapy sessions.
Now that most of his legal woes have been overcome – two civil lawsuits against him remain pending – Watson is focused on shaking off the remaining rust, returning to being one of the AFC’s best passers and getting the Browns back in contention.
If the last two days were any indication, Watson is gaining momentum on all those fronts.
The three-time pro bowler shone in 7-on-7 drills, firing accurate passes, dishing the ball and hitting some of the new offensive targets the Browns added in the offseason to complement Watson’s diverse skill set.
It would be easy to dismiss his accuracy given the lack of a pass rush and the Browns playing in shorts not pads, but Watson made throws that only a handful of QBs in the league could match.
There is good. And then there is elite.
“My boy hurls that (stuff),” said tight end David Njoku, who sat on the end of a Watson laser for a touchdown during red zone practice. “He looks great. He’s stuck. The energy is there. Every single ball he threw hits the money, which excites me and the rest of the team. We are all excited.”
Last week, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said one of Watson’s throws “literally gave him goosebumps.”
That was not the case in 2022.
Watson’s performance in the last six games after his suspension raised concerns that the Browns had gone too far with their $230m investment in him. He took a 3-3 lead, but Watson didn’t make many of the stunning plays that made up much of his stint with Houston.
A 700-day break — he also sat out the 2021 season — between games didn’t help, but Watson’s stats (1,102 yards, 7 TDs and 5 interceptions) were bland and certainly not what the Browns or their fans had in mind .
It wasn’t like riding a bike.
“When you stop doing something for so long, you naturally lose confidence because you haven’t played at that level,” he said. “So you forget – your body and your muscle memory. You forget how fast and how to do things. Whenever I came back onto the field last year, I would build that confidence, take a break, come back and try to build it back up.
“But the off-season and full throttle definitely caught up with me again.”
At this point a year ago, Watson was in limbo.
With two months to go before the league decision, it was a challenge for the 27-year-old to take on a leadership role without knowing how long he would be out. This year there are no doubts about his future or his status.
No question: The Browns are Watson’s team.
“He’s just more comfortable calling plays, breaking through the scrum and taking the lead,” said two-time All-Pro guard Joel Bitonio. “With all these things that you’ve been with the boys for over a year now, he’s getting more and more comfortable with things like that.”
Watson admitted he’s “quite a way up from where I was last year”. He’s hoping the worst is behind him as he tries to put his career back on track.
After throwing a deep TD pass last week, Watson celebrated with the bow and arrow pose he made famous at Clemson.
The archer. Back on target.
“I’m comfortable with the position I’m in,” he said. “I feel comfortable here in Cleveland and in this organization. Only my personality will continue to show over time and people will get to know me.”
NOTES: RB Nick Chubb said he intends to “play” for Hall of Famer running back Jim Brown, who recently died at the age of 87. Chubb said he wasn’t aware of Brown’s involvement in Cleveland’s 2018 draft. “I just heard that ‘It’s been a blessing,'” Chubb said. “He saw something in me. It’s special.” … The Browns are still considering how to honor Brown next season. “I’m sure they will find a good way to honor him,” Bitonio said. “Hopefully I’ll win a few games. That’s the best thing possible, to win a few games and have a really good season for him.”
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