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Deshaun Watson. Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Numbers don't lie: Stats show just how bad Deshaun Watson is

By Andrew Wright | Last updated 10/15/24

After such a promising start to his career, Deshaun Watson has slowly become one of the worst quarterbacks in all of football.

Playing on a $230 million deal, Watson has become a shell of what he once was when playing at the University of Clemson as well as for the Houston Texans.

To put into perspective how bad Watson is, here are several stats that show just how bad of shape Cleveland is in with Watson at quarterback.

Season's longest completion: Through six weeks of play, it would seem that every team has hit an explosive pass play, but not the Cleveland Browns. Watson's longest completion on the season is just 35 yards. With only 32 starting quarterbacks in the league, that would mean at least three backups have longer completions. A $230 million quarterback should not have a season-long completion of 35 yards.

Third down woes: The Browns are 15 of 78 on third down this season, which comes out to 19.2 percent. That puts Cleveland last in the NFL, 5.77 percent worse than the 31st-place Broncos.

The Browns are 0-for-26 on their last 26 third downs with Deshaun Watson under center, per the FOX broadcast. That sounds like a made-up stat. What in the world...
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 13, 2024

Points per game: The Browns average 15.8 which ranks No. 30 Cleveland trails the Panthers, Giants, Raiders and Chargers just to name a few teams. An offense with Watson (or at least the old Watson) at quarterback should not be averaging this few points.

New free column: It's time for the Browns to give up on Deshaun Watson, who is off to the worst start in modern league history.

Since 2007, out of 566 passers through six weeks, Watson ranks:

QBR: 558th
Yds/Dropback: 565th
First Down Rate: 566thhttps://t.co/2sRVcLHv8W pic.twitter.com/qTubGAAztL
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) October 14, 2024

Recent play: The last three weeks of Watson have been worse than the first three. He is responsible for just two touchdowns over the last three weeks. Those two touchdowns are the same amount as Browns starting safety Rodney McLeod Jr. A $230 million quarterback and a $1.2 million dollar safety accounting for the same amount over the last three weeks isn't great.

Touchdowns in the last 3 weeks:

• Rodney McLeod Jr. - 2
• Deshaun Watson - 2

Rodney McLeod Jr. is a safety #DawgPound | #NFL pic.twitter.com/STJamU6QJg
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) October 13, 2024

Head coach Kevin Stefanski has been reluctant to make a change, citing Watson still gives his team the best chance to win and they will get things rolling.

#Browns HC Kevin Stefanski on why they won't try Jameis Winston at QB: “I think Deshaun Watson gives us the best chance to win, continues to give us the best chance to win, and we need to play really good football at his position, and at every position to be successful.” pic.twitter.com/Qvoam9Zvjd
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 14, 2024

With its next two games against Cincinatti and Baltimore, Cleveland is looking 1-7 right in the face and Stefanski will continue to face immense pressure to make a change at quarterback. The Browns will have tough decisions to make throughout the remainder of the season and into the offseason.

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