Cleveland Browns

Joe Flacco came off the bench in relief of the injured Anthony Richardson on Sunday, throwing for 168 yards and two touchdowns while leading the Indianapolis Colts to a 27-24 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It was the sort of performance that helped save the Cleveland Browns' season last year when Flacco was forced into starting duties, but the veteran quarterback told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that he never received an offer from the Browns in the offseason to serve as Deshaun Watson's backup.

The Browns decided to go with Jameis Winston as the No. 2 option, and at this point, it may not be long before he's the starter. Watson has been poor in Cleveland's disappointing 1-3 start, throwing for 727 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions while completing just 61.5 percent of his passes and already taking 19 sacks.

His QBR of 23.8 ranks 32nd in the NFL, while his quarterback rating of 74.4 places him 29th.

Flacco, by contrast, threw for 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions in his five starts in relief last season, completing 60.3 percent of his passes while only taking eight sacks. Not necessarily the stuff dreams are made of, but vastly superior to what Watson—the man with the $230 million fully guaranteed contract—has offered this season.

Yes, Flacco's time with Cleveland ended in disappointment, as he threw for a pair of interceptions in the team's 45-14 loss to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round. But Flacco actually got the Browns into the playoffs, going 4-1 as the starter, while Watson looks primed to have the Browns in the top five of the NFL draft next offseason.

"We're not doing enough," Watson told reporters after Sunday's loss. "So it starts with me. If I'm going to be the quarterback of this offense, we've all got to be all the way locked in, and right now we're not doing enough to get the W. So you can put it on me for sure."

The Browns have enough issues right now that keeping Flacco around probably wouldn't have fixed. But it would be hard to blame Browns fans for noting the contrast in the team's play between Flacco's short time as the starter and Watson's time at the helm.

On the one hand, Cleveland Browns fans should maybe be worried that star pass-rusher Myles Garrett missed practice Wednesday because he is dealing with Achilles, thigh, and ankle issues.

On the other hand, he sounds like he's going to be more than ready to go for Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

"I try to spend every moment preparing my body for the rigors of the season," Garrett told reporters Thursday. "Sometimes, [I have] some bumps and bruises like I have right now. So, an injured animal is the fiercest, so I'm going to be at my best."

He also dismissed the notion that he could cause further damage by continuing to play.

"I feel like I have the right people around me, have the right training staff here to make sure that everything is pretty stable for the rest of the season," he said. "So, I'm not too worried."

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year tallied a sack in each of the first two games of the season against the Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars. While he had three quarterback hits in Week 3's loss to the New York Giants, he didn't pick up a sack and had to leave the game at times.

Cleveland needs him on the field and performing well if it is going to put its 1-2 start in the rearview mirror. A game against the 1-2 Raiders is a solid place to start.

Las Vegas gave up three sacks to the previously winless Carolina Panthers and struggled at times on both sides of the ball. Garrett is better than any of the Panthers' pass-rushers and arguably better than any other pass-rusher in the league, so he should be able to get to Gardner Minshew if he's healthy enough to play.

And it sounds like he's going to be at his "fiercest" when he does take the field.

Deshaun Watson has struggled in the 2024 season, completing just 57.8 percent of his passes while the Cleveland Browns have limped to an 1-2 start. He doesn't believe utilizing his legs more will help kickstart the stagnant offense, however.

"I'm not going in there to ask them for more designed runs," he told reporters when questioned on the subject. "... If I don't have to run, I'm not going to run. I'm not trying to take any hits. ... I'm not a running quarterback, in a sense. I can make things happen, but I'm not trying to run. I'm not a running back. It's not my specialty. They signed me to throw the ball, make decisions and be a quarterback, not a runner."

The Browns are paying Watson $230 million in fully guaranteed money through the 2026 season to be the quarterback. They also traded three first-round picks (2022-24), a third-rounder in 2023 and a fourth-rounder in 2024 to acquire him from the Houston Texans in the first place.

Thus far, they can't be thrilled with that investment. In fact, early returns suggest it might be one of the worst trades, and extensions, in NFL history.

Through 15 games in Cleveland across parts of three seasons, Watson has thrown for 2,768 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, taking 53 sacks while completing just 59.3 percent of his passes. The Browns have managed to go 9-6 in his starts, though that can be more accurately attributed to an excellent defense and strong running game.

It's a far cry from the player Watson was in his first four seasons in Houston, where he was a three-time Pro Bowler. And whether it comes from their current quarterback or some other source, the Browns are in desperate need of a spark on offense.

The team is averaging just 248 yards per game (31st in the NFL) and 16.7 points per contest (25th). Watson's QBR (22.5) ranks 30th in the NFL out of 31 qualifying players, above only Carolina's Bryce Young (9.1), who was benched after two games. Watson's quarterback rating of 71.4, meanwhile, ranks 27th.

The Browns, of course, aren't laying the blame solely at Watson's feet.

"It's everybody," head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters Monday after Watson was sacked eight times in a 21-15 loss against the New York Giants on Sunday. "It's from myself, the coaches, the offensive line, tight ends, running backs, wide receivers, quarterbacks. It's everybody. And everybody has a job to do in order to keep the quarterback clean."

Something clearly has to change in Cleveland. It doesn't appear drawing up more running plays for Watson will be among the options.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is day-to-day after his MRI on Monday came back clean, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Garrett told reporters on Sunday that he would undergo an MRI after aggravating a previous foot injury in the Browns 21-15 loss to the New York Giants in Week 3.

Garrett missed time in practice last week due to injuries on both feet. He had also said that the issues could require surgery.

With Garrett's status for Week 4 unclear, it's worth nothing it would be a major blow to the Browns' defense if he misses time.

Garrett has recorded 90.5 sacks in his career and is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year winner. He has two sacks and five tackles in 2024.

Cleveland dropped to 1-2 with the loss and will need to get things turned around if it hopes to make a run at the playoffs. Having Garrett deal with the injury was already not ideal but not having him in the lineup at all would only make things significantly worse.

He had previously said the foot injuries could be dealt with by pain management and fans will have to hold out hope that that has not changed.

Cleveland Browns superstar defensive end Myles Garrett is dealing with the same injury to both of his feet, but he'll be active when his team hosts the New York Giants on Sunday.

Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan provided video of Garrett's comments.

"Don't feel 100 percent but feel good enough to go out there and make a difference," the reigning Defensive Player of the Year said, per ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi.

Garrett didn't practice on Wednesday or Thursday but put in a limited practice on Friday. He provided more context on that schedule, per Camryn Justice of News 5 Cleveland.

He is not listed with a game status on the injury report, and head coach Kevin Stefanski said Garrett "looked like himself" at practice.

Garrett also added the following regarding the potential for surgery:

"We talk about [surgery after the season] but that's something that we'll talk about further down the line," Garrett said. "The issue itself is something that I'll probably have to deal with for however long I end up playing. So it's about managing that and playing through it."

As far as whether this could be a lingering issue, Garrett replied: "I hope not. Hopefully, in the next couple weeks it will continue to get better until it's something that's not bothering me as consistently as it is."

The injuries are potentially connected to a double foot surgery Garrett had as a boy, per Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.

The eight-year veteran has amassed 90.5 career sacks. He's begun his 2024 season with five solo tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles.

Garrett has been on the field far more often than not during his eight NFL seasons. Of note, he missed time during his 2017 rookie year due to a high-ankle sprain (four games) and a concussion that cost him one contest. Garrett also sat two games in 2020 after being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Obviously, Garrett is an invaluable member of the Browns defense. The good news is he's well enough to play, but the injuries are worth monitoring going forward. Hopefully the injuries don't linger through the season and he's able to stay on the field.

Up next is a matchup with a winless Giants team that's scored just 24 points through two games, although Garrett has a tough matchup ahead against an elite left tackle, Andrew Thomas. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET in Cleveland on Sunday.

Deshaun Watson's contract with the Cleveland Browns does not have a protection clause for the 2024-26 seasons in the event of a suspension, according to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports.

After initially reporting Sunday that the Browns "quietly" restructured Watson's deal over the offseason to not include the same protections that were in his previous contract, Glazer followed up and stated that Watson's deal never had a protection clause for the 2024-26 seasons.

The previous protections were put in place so he didn't lose guaranteed money if he was suspended during the 2022 or 2023 campaigns.

"If he has a suspension moving forward, there could be a chance they could go back and get some of those guarantees," Glazer reported initially

These details are all the more notable after a woman filed a civil lawsuit Monday that accuses him of sexual assault and battery.

On Thursday, ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi reported the woman, who was identified as Jane Doe, said the actions happened in October 2020. Her attorney, Tony Buzbee, said the plan is for her to talk to the NFL within the next two weeks.

"We will be scheduling a meeting with the NFL and hope that can be accomplished in the next two weeks," Buzbee said. "We have a video and two additional witnesses for the NFL to speak with. I've personally never had confidence in the NFL's disciplinary process but my client has chosen to engage it."

Watson has denied the allegations.

He will play in Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, as the NFL said it was not placing him on the commissioner's exempt list since there are no formal charges. However, the league is reviewing the complaint and could still ultimately suspend him based on its personal conduct policy.

"Watson served an 11-game suspension in 2022 after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions," Oyefusi wrote. "A pair of Texas grand juries declined to pursue criminal charges against Watson, but he served his suspension after the NFL and the NFL Players Association reached a settlement in his disciplinary matter."

The latest lawsuit is unrelated to those previous lawsuits.

Cleveland acquired Watson from the Houston Texans via trade ahead of the 2022 season, but he has played just 13 games for the team due to time missed because of the suspension and injuries.

The Browns also signed him to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million deal.

Despite his absence from practice on Thursday, Myles Garrett's foot injury is reportedly not severe.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Cleveland Browns star's injury is "nothing serious" and it "doesn't seem concerning" heading into a Week 2 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, wasn't listed on Cleveland's Wednesday injury report before he was added on Thursday.

The five-time Pro Bowl pass-rusher was one of the few bright spots for Cleveland during the team's 33-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1. Garrett recorded two tackles and a sack to go along with a forced fumble. He was on the field for 76 percent of the Browns' defensive snaps, per Pro Football Reference.

Garrett has established himself as one of the league's top defensive players since he was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft. He's recorded at least 10 sacks in each of the past six seasons, bringing down opposing quarterbacks 47 times since the start of his 2021 campaign.

The 28-year-old has also remained relatively durable, appearing in 50 of a possible 52 games since 2021.

Garrett wasn't the only member of the Browns' pass rush to show up on Thursday's injury report. Za'Darius Smith also didn't participate due to a back injury, and his status is unknown for Sunday. Tom Withers of the Associated Press reported that Cleveland will make a decision regarding the availability of Garrett and Smith on Friday.

Their potential impact could help decide a contest against a Jaguars team that's also looking for its first win of the 2024 season. Jacksonville lost to the Miami Dolphins in Week 1, while quarterback Trevor Lawrence was sacked three times.

The NFL isn't placing Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson on the commissioner's exempt list for now after a woman filed a civil lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault and battery.

"We are reviewing the complaint and we will look into the matter under the Personal Conduct Policy," the league said Tuesday.

CNN's Ben Church and Wayne Sterling reported the plaintiff in the suit, identified as "Jane Doe," alleged that Watson assaulted her in her apartment in 2020.

While playing for the Houston Texans, Watson was inactive for the entire 2021 season after dozens of women came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct. He ultimately settled 23 of the 24 civil suits filed against him, and two grand juries declined to indict him on charges related to the suits.

Having let the legal process play out, the NFL suspended Watson for the first 11 games of the 2022 season and fined him $5 million. That delayed his debut for the Browns, who acquired him from the Texans and gave him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract with the suits ongoing.

The 28-year-old has made just 13 starts for Cleveland due to the suspension and a shoulder injury that sidelined him in 2023. His production has lagged well below what he did in Houston. He's averaging 183.5 passing yards per game with 15 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 78.1 passer rating.

As a procedural matter, the commissioner's exempt list is triggered by the commissioner alone and effectively puts an NFL player on paid leave. The player is prohibited from appearing in games but does maintain access to team facilities.

By avoiding the designation, Watson is on track to start in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Cade York's time with the Washington Commanders has come to an end.

The franchise announced that it had released the kicker on Monday following the team's Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Mike Garofolo of NFL Network reported that the release negates the trade the Commanders had made with the Cleveland Browns that would have sent a seventh-round pick to Cleveland. York would have needed to be on the roster for at least two games.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that the Commanders have signed kicker Austin Seibert to replace York.

The Commanders fell 37-20 to the Buccaneers and York notably missed two field goals. This was his first regular season game since 2022.

He was a fourth-round pick by the Browns in 2022 after a highly-touted collegiate career at LSU. The success for the Tigers did not translate in his first season in Cleveland as he went 24-of-32 on field goal attempts.

The Browns waived him following the season and he spent the 2023 season on the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans practice squads. He re-signed with the Browns ahead of 2024 before the trade to Washington and he now finds himself in free agency once again.

Seibert spent the 2023 season with the New York Jets but only attempted a single field goal. He will hope to have a better showing than York did and help Washington bring some stability to the special teams.

The Cleveland Browns may have to prepare to play without David Njoku during the early parts of the NFL season.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that the Cleveland tight end is feared to have suffered a high-ankle sprain during the Browns' 33-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and that Njoku will have tests on Monday.

Njoku left the game during the third quarter and did not return. He finished with four catches for 44 yards.

The severity of the issue will be assessed in the tests but losing Njoku for any period leaves Cleveland without a major offensive weapon.

Njoku made 81 catches for 882 yards and six touchdowns in 2024, helping the Browns go 11-6 and reach the postseason despite have four different quarterbacks play in at least five games.

Cleveland hopes Deshaun Watson can have a healthy season and utilize receivers Amari Cooper and Jerry Jeudy effectively in 2024, but Njoku's presence made his job easier. If he misses significant time, Jordan Akins should see an uptick in playing time.

Cleveland will hope to claim its first victory of the season in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Depending on how Monday's tests go, the Browns may have to do this without Njoku.