https://player.anyclip.com/anyclip-widget/lre-widget/prod/v1/src/lre.js
The 2024 season did not go as the Cleveland Browns had hoped following a surprise playoff appearance behind an inspired Joe Flacco run. The Browns quickly fell through the ranks, finishing 3-14 as the second-worst team in the league. Perhaps there was some hesitation behind the optimism going into the season, but the lingering feeling that something was off loomed well before Deshaun Watson went down with an injury.
We don’t need to mince words. Watson is what ultimately went wrong with the Browns. The trade assets, the financial commitment, and the on-field play all doomed the team before they truly had a chance. All of their success in 2023 was despite Watson and any hope that he could return to form was quickly dashed early in the season.
But Watson returned the same results as he did the season before and the Browns still were not nearly as competitive as they had been, so what happened?