Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has been suspended for the first six games of the 2022 season and that ban could grow thanks to an appeal by the NFL, so head coach Kevin Stefanski has some decisions to make about divvying up reps in training camp and the preseason.
Stefanski has to decide how much work to give Watson and how much to give Jacoby Brissett, who is set to start in his place during any suspension. There’s also the possibility of a lawsuit challenging the appeal ruling to further cloud the issue of when Watson might be available to play.
Stefanski said “all of these scenarios you have to be ready for” and that means finding ways to make sure that both quarterbacks are ready to play.
“We’ll let that play out, but we’ve got to get Deshaun ready to play,’’ Stefanski said, via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “He hasn’t played football in a year. We’ve got to get Jacoby ready to play. He’s potentially going to be playing early for us and starting and we’re going to be counting on him.
PFT reported that the team plans to play Watson in preseason games despite the suspension. Stefanski didn’t confirm that, but said the preseason offered valuable reps in front of a defense and it will likely be quite some time before Watson can get any of those in the regular season.