The Cleveland Browns have handled almost every bit of the Deshaun Watson situation horribly and that’s not stopping for the start of the preseason.
Look across the board at how the Cleveland Browns have handled Deshaun Watson — from trading for him in the first place, to structuring his contract in defense of a looming suspension, to continuing to essentially publicly deny his wrongdoing — and it’s been awful. They’ve consistently made the wrong decisions with the quarterback.
So it’s still disappointing but, unfortunately, not at all surprising that their latest choice fits that mold as well.
With the Browns set to open the preseason on Friday, Aug. 12 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the team announced on Wednesday that Watson will be the starting quarterback for the contest.
Browns starting Deshaun Watson in preseason opener vs. Jaguars
It’s truly baffling that the Browns could look at the public outcry after the six-game suspension decision handed down by a judge plus the fact that the NFL is looking to appeal that decision and seeks a season-long or indefinite suspension and determine that putting him on the field at the first possible chance is the right decision.
Given the amount of money that the organization has committed to Watson on his fully guaranteed contract, it’s understandable — though not less reprehensible — that they would stand in support of the quarterback as he faces the suspension and so on.
At the same time, how they’ve handled the quarterback has been a slap in the face to his accusors, sexual assault survivors and multitudes of people. They’ve brazenly been putting Watson in the spotlight at camp and now in the preseason time and again.
This was the wrong decision regarding Watson yet again. Sure, he’s not suspended yet, so he has a right to play by the bylaws of the league. But if you’re looking at the bigger picture, he shouldn’t be anywhere near the field on Friday.