Deshaun Watson under pressure to deliver after $230,000,000 contract, claims Joy Taylor - "There's no more excuses"

The Cleveland Browns made an aggressive move last off-season to acquire Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans.

The Browns gave up their first-round draft picks in 2022, 2023, and 2024, as well as their third-round pick in 2023 and fourth-round picks in 2022 and 2024 for Watson.

As a result of his widely publicized sexual allegations, Watson was suspended for the first 11 games of the season. He came back towards the end of the season and went 3-3 as the starter with a career-low 79.1 passer rating.

"Speak For Yourself" host Joy Taylor said that if the Browns don't make the playoffs this season under Watson, then it is a massive failure.

"It's a tough division but when you give someone $230M guaranteed, there's no more excuses. We know that this team is talented enough, Baker Mayfield took them to the postseason and won a playoff game. So if Baker could do that, and that's the expectation for Baker Mayfield.

"The expectations for Deshaun Watson should be much much higher than they were for Baker Mayfield because Deshaun Watson, we have seen be a top-five quarterback in the league. We've never seen that from Baker Mayfield. And if they don't make it to the playoffs, that's a massive failure to me."

It will be hard for Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns to make the playoffs in 2023

Deshaun Watson during Cleveland Browns v Washington Commanders

As Joy Taylor mentioned, it will be no easy task for the Cleveland Browns and Deshaun Watson to make the playoffs in 2023.

The Browns play in one of the most competitive divisions in football with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, and Cincinnati Bengals. Both the Bengals and Ravens made the playoffs last year with the Steelers (9-8) and Browns (7-10) missing the playoffs.

It will be tough for them to win the division, and sneak in as a Wild Card team. The Kansas City Chiefs are almost a lock to win the AFC West, and the AFC East with the revamped New York Jets may be the most competitive division in the NFL, with one or two teams likely getting in as Wild Card teams.

We will see if Watson can lead the Browns to success in the 2023 NFL season. If he doesn't, there will be more than a few eyebrows raised and his future could be in question.