Is WINNING enough for Deshaun Watson to validate his contract or does have to put up MONSTER stats?

Entering year three with the Cleveland Browns, the pressure is on Deshaun Watson to perform up to his immense talent.
With the Browns, DW4 has won games, but his stats haven't been what fans expected.
In the grand scheme of things, is winning games enough to justify the price the Browns paid for Deshaun or does he have to put up video game-esque numbers to make the deal worth it?
The Cleveland Browns are entering the 2024 NFL season with high expectations and hopes.
Deshaun Watson is entering his first season with the team healthy and free of off-the-field distractions. The only thing that he's dealing with is pressure to find success and prove that he can be the franchise quarterback that the Browns acquired him in a massive blockbuster trade to be.In each of his first two years with Cleveland, Watson has only played in six games. He has been unable to stay healthy and has not produced at a high level when he has been on the field. While there are major concerns about his ability to turn things around in 2024, an NFL scout has revealed some bold thoughts about the 28-year-old quarterback. "When Cleveland acquired Deshaun (Waton), he gave promise of superstar production. It hasn't gone well yet, but that success is coming in 2024. He has never been so locked in and motivated. I think this is the season that the Browns feel really good about the king's ransom they traded to get him," the scout told me.
Subscribe and ring the bell for the latest talk about the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Guardians, Cleveland Cavaliers and Ohio State Buckeyes: bit.ly/ucss_subscribe

Follow on Twitter: / ultclesports

Watch live on KZbin 11 a.m.-1 p.m. weekdays on KZbin and WKYC+ on your Roku and Fire TV apps!

The Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show is your daily source of the best conversation about the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Guardians, Cleveland Cavaliers and Ohio State Buckeyes, as well as sports throughout Northeast Ohio. Hosted by Jay Crawford, Adam the Bull, G Bush, Mike Polk Jr., Brad Sellers and Tyvis Powell.
NATIONAL DISCLAIMER: 21+ and present in select states. FanDuel is offering online sports wagering in Kansas under an agreement with Kansas Star Casino, LLC. First online real money wager only. $10 first deposit required. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable bonus bets that expire 7 days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG in Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Tennessee, and Virginia. Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 in Arizona, 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat in Connecticut, 1-800-9-WITH-IT in Indiana, 1-800-522-4700 or visit ksgamblinghelp.com in Kansas, 1-877-770-STOP in Louisiana, visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland, visit 1800gambler.net in West Virginia, or call 1-800-522-4700 in Wyoming. Hope is here. Visit GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call [phone] for 24/7 support in Massachusetts or call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY in New York.

[@XPGaming216]

Agree with Earl… 2-1 in the division and stats don’t matter in the AFC North. So I need stats vs bad/ok teams and just win vs good teams

[@eddiecruz7667]

Patrick Maholms was not top 5 last year but still won the super bowl

[@Bravoo4]

Facts

[@anthonypa8045]

Patrick mahomes worst season is still better than both deshauns years In cleveland and it ain't even close.

[@dwaunwilliams3031]

Exactly stats doesn’t matter. It’s about wins and making the big plays when they matter . That’s what the greats do . Mahomes can be regular for the first 3 quarters and when the 4th quarter happens and he’s clutch with game winning drives that’s all that matters

[@Bravoo4]

Bengals game and titans game, and ravens game because of him

[@anthonypa8045]

No bengals game and titans game the defense only let up 3 points the entire game. Defense is the main reason we won those games. Deshaun stats in the cincy game were terrible.

[@renaissanceman3903]

Even the ravens game he threw for 1 td. Lamar jackson threw 2 INTS and was a pick 6. Also, Hopkins kicked 4 field goals. Watson hasn't done anything impressive, especially flacco coming in, and be able to move the ball easily.

[@anthonypa8045]

​@@renaissanceman3903for real. Even his best game was a below average individual performance. Only completed 58% of his throws. Luckily our defense got a 4th qtr pick 6.

[@travisealy3512]

This is where it’s hard. His defense gave up 3 points in two of those games so even if he was trash they still could’ve won. But I do think he played really good in that titans game and was one of the reasons they won the ravens game

[@renaissanceman3903]

@travisealy3512 titans defense is garbage and had a shitty qb. You guys are getting excited with that 14/14 with check down passes, which is getting old.

[@Dub257]

This Bull and Earl arguments represent the browns fan base exactly to the tee

[@onlyonezay419]

I’m with Earl like he said nobody is saying he can be trash and we accept it but if he’s top 12 and the team is winning and IN CLUTCH MOMENTS Deshaun comes thru. Who cares if he’s statistically higher then the others as long as he’s in the conversation as one of the best and we’re winning

[@scorpionllx3896]

I agree with both sides but he could get away with being mediocre if he was in the NFC the AFC has loads of talent in every division. He needs to put up the numbers and be clutch be the best of both worlds. We traded for excellence not mediocre

[@TK-ps7dx]

@@scorpionllx3896they traded to win games and a superbowl

[@Justafella991]

There is zero chance deshaun will be in conversation for the best QB in the NFL. Heck, he won't be talked about as a top 5 or even top 10 QB lmao.

[@Justafella991]

​@@TK-ps7dxDeshaun isn't good enough for us to win a superbowl.

[@onlyonezay419]

@@Justafella991🦗🦗🦗

[@tribeofjudah7727]

Earl is right Joe Montana barely put up big numbers in the regular season Dan Marino always put big numbers up and won nothing Tom Brady didn’t put up big numbers when he won his first two superbowls Peyton Manning was putting up big numbers early on in his career and won nothing his last superbowl he played like garbage and still won Terry Bradshaw ,Bob Griese and Troy Aikman barely put up big numbers in the regular season great quarterback is measured by how they play in big Moments stats don’t mean anything when a player is not clutch just look at Tua all. those yards and touchdowns and choke when it counted and since when is six games a full season to say someone had a bad season playing only six games is stupid stop acting like Watson played two full seasons playing bad and he played good enough to win every game he played . With Bull logic Joe Burrell gets hurt one more time Bengals have to release him

[@WSAMP24]

Watson has been bad by every single induvial passing stat and metric there is. People need to stop making so many excuses for him and lowering the bar. Not one expert analyst has him ranked as a top 20 qb.

[@tribeofjudah7727]

@@WSAMP24😂first of all get a life you spew the same stupid points most quarterbacks not tearing the league up playing six games talk when the guy you love to hate plays a full season

[@thechamp813]

Eli Manning

[@codyholland7768]

Eli manning is what earl is talking about

[@tomshed6302]

My absolute favorite part of the show is when adam the bull does 80% of the talking and an additional 7% interrupting keep up the great work bud.

[@WSAMP24]

i thought it was 50/50, bull just made better points and had facts to support his argument. Deshaun has been below average in every way and thats not what the browns spent a quarter billion dollars for or those 6 draft picks for.

[@anthonypa8045]

I agree with Bull and G. Deshaun has clearly been a disappointment since coming to cleveland. He ranks 53rd in pff grade among qualified passers over the last two years and 38th in qbr over that time. Hes only completed 59% of his passes since coming here. You dont give up 3 first round picks and 230 million dollars to get a worse qb than your previous one. But that is exactly what happened. Baker is better in every individual passing stat and he has won more playoff games than deshaun. No one has watson ranked inside their top 20 of qbs on any websites list. That is a problem. Madden has him at a 74 overall. He should be embarrassed. Step it up you bum.

[@draimonshepherd1791]

Same bull you vomit all the time

[@anthonypa8045]

​@@draimonshepherd1791and it's all true. Have to educate some of the slower fans

[@prestonmccoy7097]

Yeah, I’m NOT feeling it with Earl. I hear what he’s saying but he keeps giving a false dichotomy imo. He says he never said that Deshaun can be mediocre and be ok with it, but just before he was saying doesn’t care about stats at all which that stance gives the impression that he would be cool with Deshaun being mediocre as long as they win. He keeps saying “just don’t lose me the game” but is that what Jimmy Haslam said to DW he handed him $230 million guaranteed? I highly doubt it. Watson CAN play very well AND the Browns can win with Watson being an obvious catalyst. It is pretty necessary with the quarterbacks in the AFC. Earl needs to stop acting like that can’t happen. Usually you need that to happen to win the Super Bowl anyways. I don’t know why Earl keeps tryna hold this ridiculous position.

[@leslieharris741]

Yall always bringing up that man’s money like yall paying it who cares what he getting paid bro u ain’t gotta pay em so why bring it up??? Yeah I want more from 4 but I watched every snap last season he wasn’t as bad as Flacco chill

[@prestonmccoy7097]

@@leslieharris741 Blame the sports media for reporting players salaries. I don’t think everyone should know what professional players make but they’re state employees, plus they’re celebrities, so it’s gonna be known. I don’t care what Watson gets paid personally. Am I complaining about Watson being paid $230 million? Read closely. When you’re given a hefty reward for something, it’s expected that someone is worth that reward. Watson hasn’t been that and I’ve been one of his BIGGEST supporters, so don’t get it twisted. I watched every snap too. I just can’t keep excusing his lack of performing. If players pay shouldn’t be a big deal, then why do players hold out or demand more money when they play better? When they get that money, it’s expected they continue to produce. Simple.

[@WSAMP24]

@@leslieharris741 we could be spending that qtr billion dollars on good player though instead of watson. And flacco lead watson in passer rating, qbr, yards, tds, and pff grade. and joe started one less game too. Flacco was better that why he won a nfl award

[@stephenboyd85]

All I heard was Baker this and Baker that… I know he’s happy he’s not here for this mess

[@anthonypa8045]

For real baker won this war. He's won more playoff game and been to more probowls than deshaun since the trade. Browns are going into year 3 of deshaun and he has not done anything for cleveland yet

[@stephenboyd85]

@@anthonypa8045 agreed they talk about Baker whenever they bring this trade up. In a way that makes it seem like there hating on him

[@user-ep7fq7if3x]

Top notch hater!!!!

[@samfisher170]

Most importance order: 1. He has to be the reason the browns are winning games (4th quarter comebacks, GW Drives) 4th quarter against the Ravens is a great comparison. 2. He cannot be the reason the Browns are losing games, pick sixes galore (Flacco in the playoffs), crumbling in clutch moments. 3. He needs Star numbers for a QB 4K passing yards - 30+ TDs 100+ QB RATING. This is for the stats nerds and comfortability for justification for the contract + picks he’s received.

[@ricocantera3160]

Damn.... Earl and Bull keep going at each other like there's a lil beef between the two... EARL you gotta stop using IMO as a crutch bro.... Everytime Bull is getting the better of the debate you throw up IMO...jus saying bro... I love the show and don't want anyone off the show I love the dynamic's y'all got going on

[@aaronbutler9373]

Baltimore Ravens Organization paid Lamar to win games. Winning games puts jerseys on backs. Winning games put butts in seats. That's the Ravens way and philosophy.

[@ktrimble8991]

Bull take ya ass to Cincinnati

[@asunoimnice]

Earl love Watson And I do to Let’s go Watson we behind you. Go Browns

[@WSAMP24]

earl 100% loves watson, that is for sure.

[@michaelrjones5758]

Bulls take literally contradicts itself

[@leslieharris741]

Bull not listening their dam near saying the same thing. I think Bull just needs to stick to baseball cause the shit he be saying about basketball and football have em sounding dumb af

[@anthonypa8045]

I agree with bull and G bush. Deshaun is not the reason browns are winning any games in 3 of his 4 wins last year the defense held the opponent to 3,3, and 0 points. 6 points in 3 games... eventually watson will have to step it up and play good as a individual.

[@WSAMP24]

Love that Bull is not afraid to tell it how it is! Watson has not been good at all in Cleveland. PERIOD. he hasn't been half the qb we thought we were getting.

[@controversialcardchannel]

Man got injured.....WTF was you expecting??

[@draimonshepherd1791]

​@@controversialcardchannelright? An injury to his THROWING SHOULDER... People's hate boners blinding them

[@leslieharris741]

You gotta be a Joe Flacco supporter sound like yo next statement a be “ we should a kept Flacco” stfu dummy

[@WSAMP24]

@@controversialcardchannel he was terrible when he was healthy... by every stat and metric

[@AkronKid330]

Its really simple. This whole season falls on Watson. We have everything around him that he needs. NO excuses

[@user-bf6cg1vj2v]

Worst trade ever in team history! Watson sucks!!!!!

[@anthonypa8045]

Can't disagree with this at this time. Bad individual play, and no playoff wins yet. We are 40% through the deshaun contract already and he ain't done squat for this city.

[@michaelrjones5758]

Bulls take literally contradicts itself