Pederson: Jaguars 'can't lose focus' on Deshaun Watson despite decline

Content warning: This story contains allegations of sexual misconduct.

Thirteen games and more than two seasons into his Cleveland tenure, it is fair to say the Browns have not yet gotten their money’s worth for the five-year, $230 million, fully guaranteed contract they handed Deshaun Watson in trading for the embattled quarterback in 2022.

Mired in off-field controversy since before that deal, Watson began his Browns stint suspended for 11 games in the fallout of 24 civil lawsuits relating to allegations of sexual misconduct. Cleveland acquired and paid Watson in spite of the accusations, 23 of which were eventually settled.

A throwing shoulder injury limited Watson to as many starts with Cleveland in 2023 as he made during his suspension-shortened season, six. In his latest return to action Sunday, he tossed two interceptions and averaged a miserable 3.8 yards per passing attempt against Dallas.

Then on Monday, a sexual assault and battery lawsuit was filed against Watson by a new plaintiff.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters Wednesday that Watson is expected to play Sunday when Cleveland travels to Jacksonville for Week 2, “focused on the task at hand” and undeterred by his latest indictment.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson, speaking with media around the same time Wednesday, acknowledged the career downside Watson has experienced in recent years but in the same breath expressed his belief that the quarterback remains capable of playing quality football.

“Look, it’s hard for me to speculate and I don’t want to do that,” Pederson said in response to a question about Watson’s underwhelming performance with Cleveland compared to when he shined with Houston from 2017-20. He sat out of the 2021 campaign as his legal troubles began to mount.

“I just know that he’s a good football player and they went after him and wanted him to be the quarterback there and he’s still a dangerous guy throwing and running the football.”

Before the lawsuits arose and his season of inactivity, Watson led the NFL with 4,823 passing yards in his final year with the Texans. He completed a career-high 70.2% of his passes with 33 touchdowns while tossing just seven interceptions, adding 444 yards and three scores on the ground.

Watson earned his third-consecutive, and most recent, Pro Bowl nod in 2020.

Describing the quarterback’s prior strong play, Pederson recalled when the team he formerly coached, Philadelphia, faced Houston in 2018, a 32-30 Eagles victory that Watson kept the Texans in until the very end by scoring four total touchdowns and completing 72.5% of his throws.

“When we played him years ago, back when he was in Houston, he had a heck of a football game,” Pederson noted. “He’s got that in him, very capable of doing that.

“So, [we] can’t fall asleep on it, can’t lose focus on it. Just again, another good player in this league and you got to give a lot of respect.”

Based on career statistics, Watson appears on paper to be one of the most threatening quarterbacks Jacksonville will face this year. He has averaged nearly 4,300 yards and 30 passing touchdowns for every 17 games he has played, the equivalent of a full NFL season.

But he has accumulated 2,386 passing yards with 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions since momentarily stepping away from the league in 2021.

Watson’s Sunday showing was one of his worst in that stretch if not his career. His 3.8 yards per passing attempt was his second-lowest in a single game (behind a five-throw, five-yard performance before getting hurt against Indianapolis in 2023), his 53.3% completion rate was his eighth-lowest, and his two interceptions were tied for his second-most.

Watson had thrown multiple interceptions in only 10 of his 66 previous NFL appearances before Week 1.

Pederson would not fault Watson entirely for what Cleveland put on tape offensively on Sunday, instead suggesting the Browns’ playmakers might need to develop further chemistry with their quarterback.

“You got talent there. I think they’re still working through some things, you know, getting on the same page with the quarterback and all that,” Pederson theorized.

“But listen, it’s the NFL and these guys, they can light it up at any time. So we have to be prepared this week and stay focused on us.”

Perhaps the Watson-led Cleveland offense will finally find its groove in Jacksonville on Sunday. The Browns certainly continue to bank on it.