Could Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson miss two entire seasons and still play well upon his return?
Could he miss two seasons – without being injured, mind you, which is incredible in its own right, but that’s another story for another time – and avoid being rusty – avoid losing a bit of his skill-set — when he comes back?
That’s the question that’s not being asked, but should, by all the chitter chatterers in the media. Oh, yes, it definitely should.
Watson missed all of the 2021 season as he and the Houston Texans went through their high-profile divorce but continued to live in the same house.
Now he is set to almost certainly miss all of this season with the Browns as he awaits from the NFL the announcement of what could be – and let’s be very clear, should be – the suspension of all suspensions for his involvement in things that can’t be discussed in a family website.
In 1963, two future Pro Football Hall of Famers in Green Bay Packers running back Paul Hornung and Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras were suspended for the entire season by NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle for their involvement in gambling. Both returned to form quickly. In fact, two years later, in 1965, Hornung helped lead the Packers to a 23-12 win over the defending champion Browns in the league title game in the mud and cold of Lambeau Field. But let’s keep in mind that 1963 and ’64 were struggling years for the Packers, who failed to even win the Western Conference after capturing the NFL title in 1961 and ’62.
But Watson’s time away will be 100 percent longer than that, and it involves not a running back or defensive tackle, both of whom are just pieces to a team and don’t necessarily rely much on players at the other positions, but rather a quarterback, which is the most important position in team sports. The quarterback must be in total concert with the 10 other players or else the offense will not operate efficiently.
So, then, if Watson returns in 2023 – and there’s no real guarantee of that, is there? – then it will likely be into the season – perhaps even the middle of the season – before he becomes effective.
Could the Browns, a team built to win right now, really afford to wait that long?
And could Deshaun Watson?
Steve King
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