Cleveland has given Deshaun Watson another opportunity to prove he can become the quarterback the Browns believed they were acquiring four years ago. Ryan Fitzpatrick, however, does not expect the experiment to last.
The former NFL quarterback offered one of the bluntest assessments yet of Cleveland’s decision to start Watson over Shedeur Sanders. Fitzpatrick predicted that Watson will eventually lose the job, creating an opportunity for the younger quarterback.
Ryan Fitzpatrick predicts Shedeur Sanders will take over
Speaking during Amazon Prime Video’s broadcast of Cleveland’s preseason game against the New England Patriots, Fitzpatrick backed Sanders to become the Browns’ quarterback later in the season.
“Once [Watson] fails, Shedeur’s gonna jump into this thing, and he’s going to be the guy,” Fitzpatrick said. “And this city is gonna be behind him.”
Kirk Herbstreit immediately asked Fitzpatrick whether he was seriously predicting that Watson would fail.
“Yeah, it’s gonna happen,” he replied. “I mean, Shedeur’s playing this year. I think all three of these guys, I think [Dillon] Gabriel’s gonna have a chance to play as well.”
Fitzpatrick’s prediction highlights the uncertainty surrounding Cleveland’s quarterback room as Todd Monken begins his first season as head coach.
Deshaun Watson enters the season under pressure
Watson’s tenure with the Browns has not unfolded as the franchise expected. Cleveland acquired him in 2022 and gave him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract, but injuries, missed time and inconsistent performances have prevented him from establishing himself as the team’s long-term answer.
Pressure on Watson increased during the preseason. Browns fans booed him after a difficult performance against Buffalo. Watson later described the reaction as “disrespectful” before withdrawing those comments.
“I thought I was going to get a little different response,” Watson said. “I understand the frustration. I understand everything that kind of goes into that.”
That history makes Watson’s Week 1 assignment particularly important. He has the starting job, but this time Cleveland has credible alternatives waiting behind him.
Sanders has already attracted significant support from Browns fans, while Dillon Gabriel gives Cleveland another developmental option if the offense struggles.
Fitzpatrick understands how quickly a quarterback job can disappear
Fitzpatrick’s assessment carries added weight because he spent much of his 17-year NFL career dealing with the same kind of instability.
A seventh-round pick from Harvard, Fitzpatrick made 147 career starts but repeatedly had to fight to retain his position. In Miami in 2020, he completed 70.1 percent of his passes and helped the Dolphins reach a 3-3 record before rookie Tua Tagovailoa replaced him.
That experience may help explain why Fitzpatrick views Cleveland’s quarterback situation as unstable from the beginning.
“This is such a young roster with a lot of changing parts and a lot of new guys, so they’re gonna struggle on offense this year,” he said.
Watson will have the first opportunity to change that narrative when the Browns open the season against Jacksonville on September 13. Cleveland may begin the season with Watson under center, but Fitzpatrick does not expect him to finish it there.
Source: www.marca.com