NEWSLETTER
Deshaun Watson said this week that he would love to be reunited with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. I mean, obviously, right?
In 38 games together, Deshaun Watson owns a 101.0 passer rating and has thrown for 9,716 yards, 71 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions. However, I wouldn’t bet on a Watson-Hopkins reunion in Cleveland. The Browns are working with limited resources and head coach Kevin Stefanski said this week that he likes where the Browns’ receivers room stands.
Just because Watson would like to add DeAndre Hopkins to the mix doesn’t mean that he doesn’t share Stefanski’s opinion of the Browns WR corps.
Watson said the the chemistry is “coming along very well,” at the Browns’ annual golf tournament. “With all the guys, you’ve got to be able to adjust. Last week was our first time actually on the field throwing full-speed routes against defenders, so that timing is going to come. We’ve been spending a lot of time in the film room and outside the building. That chemistry and that connection of just being around each other and knowing how we’re going to react to certain situations is definitely good.”
Watson has placed an emphasis on building chemistry with newcomers Elijah Moore and Marquise Goodwin, as well as the returning receivers that he has limited time with last season while he served an 11-game suspension.
That effort was on display during last week’s OTAs. Watson took a healthy amount of shots to his new receivers in 7-on-7s. Watson hooked up with free agent Marquise Goodwin on a toss to the back of the end zone last Wednesday. The touchdown came in a red-zone drill. During last week’s practices, Watson also found Elijah Moore for a pretty touchdown reception.
Watson also recently took some veterans to Puerto Rico to help build that chemistry. New wide receiver Elijah Moore was one of those players on the trip. According to Moore, while they were all relaxing, Watson was in the hotel room with his head in the playbook.
“We were in the hotel, and he’s in the playbook when we’re chilling on the beach,” Moore said. “We just got done working out. We all got work done, and he’s still in the playbook, so seeing how he is with that only gives us more confidence. Like, ‘Okay, let us go look at the playbook one more time. I can’t ask for nothing better.”
Moore and Goodwin were excellent additions. As was rookie Cedric Tillman. Watson will also get to begin working with Amari Cooper soon. Browns head coach shared an update on Cooper, who underwent core muscle surgery earlier in the offseason on Tuesday. Stefanski said Cooper will be ready for training camp and “will start doing some things” with the team this week.
“Amari has been awesome in the meeting room for our players,” Stefanski said. “Just to have an example of a player that does it the right way, even as simple as how meetings are and how you pay attention and work at your craft. I think Amari is a great example of that.”
With Watson’s off-the-field issues behind him — as far as the NFL is concerned — it’s clear that he is working to return to the on-field status he once owned. His six-game sample-size with the Browns last season wasn’t what Cleveland paid for. However, Kevin Stefanski says he doesn’t believe “it’s fair to compare” to last year.
“I would just tell you that Deshaun has done a really nice job throughout this entire offseason of being diligent about understanding the playbook, understanding his teammates every single day.”
If this is the group that Watson and the Browns will take into Week 1, the consensus is that the chemistry building on and off the field is going well.
Watson understands why there is doubt around his on-field abilities after missing nearly two seasons:
“I missed two years of football, so if I was in their shoes, I wouldn’t put myself in that position either,” Watson said. “I’ve got to go out there and prove it and that’s what I’m looking forward to. So those opportunities for me this upcoming season, I have to take advantage of it.”
Watson said that he’s regaining his confidence this spring. He’s “getting back to [being] Deshaun Watson.” If the Cleveland Browns hope to get back on track, they’d better hope so.
