Browns QB Deshaun Watson wants ‘man-to-man’ talks with Kevin Stefanski
BEREA — The Browns’ season had been over for barely an hour when Deshaun Watson made clear what was one of his first priorities.
“I’m just going to go in there and meet with (coach) Kevin (Stefanski) and we going to sit down, watch the tape,” Watson said following the season finale at Pittsburgh. “What we can do? What’s the plan? What I like, what do he like?”
No two individuals within the Browns’ coaching staff or players need to more be on the same page coming out of this season than Watson and Stefanski. That’s because those two hold the keys to the offense’s future.
The last six games of the Browns’ 7-10 season were all about getting Watson re-acclimated to the game after missing the first 11 games due to his suspension for more than two-dozen accusations of sexual misconduct and sexual assault during massage appointments while he was still the quarterback of the Houston Texans. On top of that, he had to learn a whole new system after being traded by the Texans to the Browns last March.
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That re-acclimation period ended with the loss to the Steelers. The process of getting quarterback and coach on the same page both now and in the future commenced with Monday’s exit interviews.
“We’re going to have a man-to-man conversation, nothing negative or anything like that,” Watson said Monday. “But just what can we do to be better offensively. And as a team, my next step in taking this team and taking that leadership role is really stepping up there and really taking this whole locker room under my wings. I’m looking forward to that. This year was kind of tough with being in the building, being outside the building, all the different changes and all the unknowns. But going into this 2023 season and having a pretty clear view of what we can look forward to, I think I can have the opportunity and that’s the role I want to make sure I challenge myself and take over.”
There is almost zero doubt the offense the Browns were running over the final six games will look different when they kick things off for next season in September. It will no doubt, while still having a significant dose of running back Nick Chubb, feature a whole lot of Watson.
The way Watson was used in the final six games didn’t give much of an indication of what that looks like ultimately. There were flashes, very brief glimpses of the potential — see the second half at Washington — that it held.
However, the total package of that offense is something both Watson and Stefanski are anxious to explore. That’s why the two were already starting those conversations.
“You always want your quarterback to be involved in high-level discussions about your offense and what you are doing because ultimately when the quarterback is comfortable in those plays, he makes them work,” Stefanski said. “It is just pretty simple. Constantly having that dialogue with Deshaun. Have done it ever since he has been starting. You do that with all of your starting quarterbacks. He wants to be involved. He will be in town. We will spend a lot of time together – as much time that is allowed, I should say.”
Stefanski and Watson weren’t allowed as much time as they could’ve had in their first year after the March 18 trade. That’s because of the suspension which left two unable to speak from the time Watson had to leave the building Aug. 30 until he was allowed back in on Oct. 10.
The suspension was always expected to have an impact on Watson’s growth. It didn’t just keep him from playing in regular-season games — something he had last done on Jan. 3, 2021, prior to his Browns’ debut Dec. 4 — but it also kept him from the experiences which can only be gained by going through things like that.