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Browns GM Andrew Berry owes fans better explanation about Deshaun Watson debacle | Ulrich
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- Browns GM Andrew Berry owes fans better explanation about Deshaun Watson debacle | Ulrich
BEREA — The glowing laser eyes have dimmed.
Even Andrew Berry's staunchest supporters, the ones who celebrated the Browns general manager by posting memes on social media depicting him as a cyborg, must have doubts by now.
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When Berry held his customary bye week news conference Wednesday at Browns headquarters, the 37-year-old executive was indeed the smartest person in room.
However, possessing a mind with computer-like capabilities doesn't guarantee a championship, and the Browns know it as well as any NFL organization. Berry isn't the first legitimate genius owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam have placed in a prominent position.
Berry has said in the past his job is to have one foot in the present and another in the future. He has also touted the importance of the Browns living by a tough, smart, accountable and resilient identity.
Although Berry addressed the present by lamenting the 2024 team's massively disappointing 2-7 record and saying he's part of it, he essentially refused to discuss the future or demonstrate accountability by reflecting on previous decisions in a meaningful way. Berry contended those types of conversations are more appropriate for the offseason.
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It's the epitome of a cop-out, especially when it comes to all things Deshaun Watson .
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, center, poses for a portrait with general manager Andrew Berry, left, and coach Kevin Stefanski during Watson's introductory news conference March 26, 2022, in Berea, Ohio.
The Browns have a messaging problem, and their disastrous March 2022 trade with the Houston Texans for Watson has brought it to the forefront time and again.
When you divide a fan base by attempting to make a player accused by more than two dozen women of sexual misconduct and sexual assault the face of your franchise, you owe the public a better explanation than the non-answers Berry provided about why the controversial move has backfired.
Your customers who buy tickets and merchandise would like to hear some semblance of humility.
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Plenty of fans dumped the Browns because of the Watson acquisition, which included a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract, but more of them have continued to support the team. Those who stayed didn't want to miss out on a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback elevating the Browns to a Super Bowl, even if questions about off-field baggage were attached.
Well, they were duped because the trade for Watson is headed for the history books as the worst ever in the NFL. Berry said Watson playing for the Browns again is "always possible," though he was noncommittal about Watson being the team's QB of the future.
Everyone knows the deal has been a colossal bust.
Still, when asked directly whether he thinks the trade for Watson was a good one, Berry said, "I'm really not in reflection mode. I remember I got asked this about [Joshua] Dobbs last year. It's really more not really my focus at this point in the year. Our focus is really on finishing out the 2024 season, having the team play at a higher level and then we'll get to those maybe longer term or big picture reflections at a later point in time."
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The Watson gamble included sending three first-round draft picks to the Texans and should never be uttered in the same breath as trading backup QB Dobbs and a seventh-round choice to the Arizona Cardinals in August 2023 for a fifth-round selection.
More deflecting occurred when Berry was asked about Watson's poor performance this season before the QB suffered a season-ending ruptured right Achilles tendon Oct. 20 against the Cincinnati Bengals . It's almost as if Berry ripped this next quote from coach Kevin Stefanski's playbook. Stefanski has repeatedly failed to meet the bar for accountability while discussing Watson.
"I would say more broadly, we haven't played well as a team, and we haven't played well as a unit on offense, and I think oftentimes when you don't play well on offense, obviously your starting quarterback and your play caller, you will get the most criticism," Berry said. "But the reality of it is offense, it comes down to organization and synchronization, and there's just a lot of shared ownership across the different position groups in terms of why we didn't perform."
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is carted off the field after suffering an injury against the Cincinnati Bengals Oct. 20 in Cleveland.
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On one hand, Berry's blatant desire to avoid throwing Watson under the bus is understandable, especially with Watson recovering from surgery.
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On the other hand, Berry could have struck a better balance by saying something like this: "We haven't achieved sustained success the way we had hoped since the trade. It starts with me. I need to improve for us to get back on track. I need to do a better job as a leader and GM. Deshaun knows he needs to improve, too, and he would be the first to tell you about it. Our fans deserve a better product. We're determined to give them one."
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None of this means Berry's points about the offense as a whole aren't valid. Of course, pass protection woes and dropped passes didn't help Watson. But anyone who watches the games should be able to tell his inability to read defenses amid the heat of competition, process efficiently, work through progressions, feel the rush, release the ball on time, play in rhythm with good footwork and throw accurately on a consistent basis combined to create the most significant problem.
The Browns advertised Watson as a franchise QB. Overcoming deficiencies at other positions and uplifting the entire offense is part of the job description. He has merely shown rare flashes of excellence since the trade. In 19 starts with the Browns, he has gone 9-10 as a starter, completed 61.2% of his passes for 3,365 yards and 19 touchdowns with 12 interceptions for a rating of 80.7. He has rushed 93 times for 465 yards and three TDs and taken 70 sacks.
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Watson missed 11 games in 2022 due to a suspension stemming from sexual misconduct allegations and 11 games in 2023 because of injuries to his throwing shoulder, including a season-ending fractured glenoid. He's in the midst of missing the final 10 games this season.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson looks on after a loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Landover, Maryland.
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With Watson sidelined this past winter, the Browns went to the playoffs after signed-off-the-street Joe Flacco quarterbacked them to a four-game December winning streak. The Browns offense played better during the stretch than it ever has for an extended period with Watson, whether it used the old system Stefanski devised or the new one he created with offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey after firing several key assistant coaches in January.
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When asked why the discrepancy exists between the Cleveland offense with Flacco and multiple Browns offenses with Watson, Berry recycled his spiel about every position group faltering.
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Flacco passed for more than 300 yards in each of those four December victories. Watson has never thrown for 300 yards in a single game in a Browns uniform.
Instead of retaining Flacco, the Browns ostensibly concluded his presence would sabotage their full-fledged support of Watson and let him walk in free agency. He signed with the Indianapolis Colts in March. Jameis Winston is now Cleveland's starting quarterback, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson is his primary backup.
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When Berry was asked whether he regrets not re-signing Flacco, he expressed confidence in Winston and DTR. A week before a three-interception clunker in Sunday's 27-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, Winston threw for 334 yards in a 29-24 win over the Baltimore Ravens . Again, Watson has never eclipsed 300 yards with Cleveland.
Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam and GM Andrew Berry speak to the media about Deshaun Watson's 11-game suspension during a press conference, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022, in Berea.
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In terms of salary cash totals, the Browns have the most expensive roster in NFL history at $325.8 million, according to spotrac.com . Berry sidestepped a question about whether the roster is as good as he thought it was entering this season. He insisted "we're happy with the young players that we have" when asked whether his drafting has been good enough.
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There is an element of self-preservation here. If Berry were to fall on the proverbial sword too hard, it wouldn't do wonders for what could already be flimsy job security. Along those lines, Berry backed Stefanski by praising the coach and stating, "He's absolutely part of the solution." Berry and Stefanski signed contract extensions in July.
Berry also might not want to accept much blame for what could have been a Haslam-driven Watson trade. When Berry was asked whether the deal was his idea or a mandate from ownership, he said, "All of us were on board."
Berry indicated a roster teardown won't be necessary for the Browns to find fixes this coming offseason. Whether he'll be around to oversee the maneuvering and answer the questions he punted Wednesday must be on ownership's collective mind.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Andrew Berry owes Browns fans Deshaun Watson trade answers
