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After what felt like an eternity, the NFL finally announced its suspension of Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson this morning. After having more than 30 sexual assault allegations levied at him, the former Houston Texans quarterback will miss just six games.
Unless Watson decides to appeal the suspension, he will miss the Browns' first six games. This includes:
- @ Carolina Panthers
- vs. New York Jets
- vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (Thursday Night Football)
- @ Atlanta Falcons
- vs. Los Angeles Chargers
- vs. New England Patriots
Two of those sides are playoff teams from 2021 (Steelers and Patriots) and one AFC West contender in the Los Angeles Chargers.
Watson will return for a matchup in Week 7 against the Baltimore Ravens and will be active for marquee games like:
- Week 8: vs. Cincinnati Bengals (Monday Night Football)
- Week 11: @ Buffalo Bills
- Week 12: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Week 13: @ former team Houston Texans
- Week 14: @ Cincinnati Bengals
One thing to note is that Watson will not face Baker Mayfield for the Week 1 matchup with the Carolina Panthers.
How the Browns may fare the first six weeks without Deshaun Watson
The Browns star is set to miss just six games after a 16 month investigation. Those first six games have a few solid teams in them, but it's not exactly a gauntlet. This bodes well for both Cleveland and their likely starter Jacoby Brissett. He's expected to start in Watson's absence.
Cleveland are looking to compete for the AFC North and contend in the playoffs. So anything less than .500 in those six games without Deshaun Watson will be a disappointment.
Given the of opponents they're facing, that's certainly possible. The Carolina Panthers will be led by an emotional Baker Mayfield who will want to defeat his former team. Even without Watson, that's no sure thing. The Browns are extremely talented and have a good chance of beating Carolina.
The Jets and Falcons have been poor in recent years and likely won't overcome Cleveland. The Steelers and Browns are far more evenly matched without Deshaun Watson and that division matchup could go either way.
The Patriots and Chargers represent the two best teams Cleveland will face during their quarterback's absence. Anything can happen, but those are probably going to be losses.
The schedule does get a little harder after that, but Deshaun Watson should be playing by then and potentially leading the team to the playoffs. The six-game suspension was the best-case scenario for the Browns, who must be quietly delighted with the decision.
