Albert Breer Sends Dire Warning About the State of the Browns Franchise
Albert Breer warned of potential damage to the Cleveland Browns if the team continues to perform poorly this season.
Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken faced stern criticism from Sports Illustrated senior NFL reporter Albert Breer following the team's season-opening loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Despite Deshaun Watson returning to start, the Browns suffered a 34-10 defeat. Watson completed 16 of 22 passes, throwing for 202 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, but the offense failed to score enough points to keep up with Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars.
Watson's performance, however, did not seem to reassure fans who were initially unhappy with his selection as the team's starter.
Breer warned that the damage done by the team's poor performance could be severe, emphasizing that it's not a simulation but a matter of real human beings playing for the franchise. He also suggested that while Todd Monken might prevent a complete tank, the damage done could still be significant. This offseason had seen much speculation and debate about the competition for the starting quarterback position, with Watson ultimately being named the starter over Shedeur Sanders.
Watson has a significant contract with the Browns, but his performance in the game did not seem to reflect the star quarterback he once was.
The Browns were expected to win 5.5 games this season, and the over was favored. However, after the loss, it might be challenging to envision them winning that many games. Some speculate that the team is aiming for a star quarterback in the next draft, with ESPN projecting the Browns to select Oregon's Dante Moore with the first overall pick.
However, Breer's warning implies that the franchise should be cautious about potentially tanking to secure their next quarterback. It seems likely that Monken will prioritize winning football games, which could mean replacing Watson with Sanders as the starting QB. The future of the Browns' quarterback situation remains uncertain, especially as they head to Tampa Bay to face the Buccaneers, a team that also suffered a loss at home.
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