Browns Vet Excited to See Watson Show ‘Everything That He’s Worth’
By: Gavin Oliver May 31, 2024

Deshaun Watson has only played in 12 total games over the past two seasons, and the former Clemson star is coming off a season-ending shoulder injury in 2023. But this veteran teammate of Watson has high expectations for the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback who is entering his third year with the Cleveland Browns.

Browns safety Rodney McLeod, a 12-year NFL veteran with 18 career interceptions, spoke about Watson in an appearance on the Up & Adams show with Kay Adams.

McLeod was asked if there’s more to Watson, who has completed 59.8 percent of his passes for 2,217 yards, 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions across his two seasons in Cleveland to date.

“Absolutely there’s more. I think we all witnessed that last year. Unfortunately, his season was also cut short,” said McLeod, who, like Watson, suffered a season-ending injury last season.

Watson went 5-1 in his six games with the Browns last season before the shoulder injury ended his campaign prematurely. He underwent surgery on Nov. 21 to repair a displaced fracture to the glenoid in his right (throwing) shoulder.

Watson has been trending in a positive direction as he works his way back, and Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said recently that Watson “looked like himself” while throwing during OTAs.

In the six games he played in last season, Watson completed 61.4 percent of his passes for 1,115 yards and seven touchdowns with four interceptions. In what would be his final game of the season, Watson completed all of his passes after halftime while rallying the Browns from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Baltimore Ravens in Week 10.

“His last outing was probably one of the more impressive games I’ve seen, or even halves alone that I’ve seen from a quarterback, and he literally willed us to that victory,” McLeod said.

The last time Watson played a full season was 2020, when he was the NFL’s passing yards leader (4,823) as a member of the Houston Texans. The 28-year-old has passed for 16,756 yards and 118 touchdowns with 45 interceptions in 66 career games with the Browns and Texans since being taken by Houston in the first round (12th overall) of the 2017 draft.

After being traded to Cleveland in March 2022, Watson signed a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract with the Browns, and McLeod said he looks forward to Watson “really putting on display everything that he’s worth” in his return to the field this year.

“I’m looking forward to seeing 4 back in the starting lineup for us, leading the team and really putting on display everything that he’s worth,” said McLeod, who plans to retire after the upcoming season. “So, I’m excited for what he’s going to be able to do for us this year with a full offseason of recovery and him playing lights out, which we all know he’s capable of.”

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