The Cleveland Browns made a huge splash this offseason by acquiring Deshaun Watson. However, the star quarterback could miss a considerable amount of time this season because of a suspension.
If the Browns are without Watson for several games, they could start Jacoby Brissett at quarterback. He signed a one-year, $4.65 million contract with the team earlier this year.
That being said, there’s no guarantee the Browns will just hand the starting gig over to Brissett.
In his latest roster projection, ESPN’s Jake Trotter wrote that Cleveland could look for another quarterback if Watson gets suspended for the bulk of the season.
From ESPN:
If Watson is in fact suspended, look for offseason addition Joshua Dobbs to join the active roster. But while Cleveland could ride the bulk of the season with Brissett as its starter in the event of a Watson suspension, the Browns could also look for another quarterback trade — Baker Mayfield for Jimmy Garoppolo, anyone? — to help the team tread water while Watson is out.
A swap involving Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo seems fairly unrealistic at this time.
Nonetheless, the Browns can’t be dismissed as a major player in the quarterback market – especially if Watson gets suspended for a full year.