NFL Coach: Deshaun Watson, Browns' Offense Look 'Disjointed' amid 1-4 Start

An anonymous NFL coach believes a lack of synchrony is primarily responsible for the struggles of quarterback Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns' offense so far this season.

Speaking to ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi, an NFC coach said:

"I actually think [Watson's] still got a lot of the arm, talent and ability, maybe not quite as mobile as it used to be. It just looks like he's disjointed, and the entire offense is disjointed. There doesn't appear to be a lot of trust in what's going on around him and that can lead to bad play really fast. People underestimate how important that is. I don't think it's talent or scheme, they just aren't on the same page."

At 1-4, the Browns have been among the NFL's worst teams this season, and inconsistent play from Watson has led to speculation regarding whether head coach Kevin Stefanski would be wise to make a change under center.

During Sunday's 34-13 blowout loss to the Washington Commanders, Watson went 15-of-28 for a season-low 125 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.

The offense looked lifeless compared to the unit led by Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, but Stefanski made it clear that he isn't ready to move on from Watson as the starter.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Stefanski was matter of fact in his analysis of the quarterback position, saying: "We're not changing quarterbacks,. We need to play better. I need to coach better."

For the season, Watson is completing 60.2 percent of his passes for 852 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions, while also rushing for 131 yards and a score.

He has yet to throw for at least 200 yards in a game this season, and his QBR of 21.0 is the worst in the league among the 31 qualifying starters.

Over the course of his first four NFL seasons with the Houston Texans, Watson looked like a budding superstar, earning three Pro Bowl selections and scoring over 30 total touchdowns in a season three times.

However, Watson missed the entire 2021 season due to a contract dispute, and during his absence, 22 women filed lawsuits against him, alleging that he engaged in sexual misconduct during massage sessions.

Watson ultimately settled the cases out of court and was not charged criminally, but he was still suspended for the first 11 games of the 2022 season after the Browns acquired him in a trade with the Texans.

Cleveland gave up a huge package of draft picks in exchange for Watson, including three first-rounders.

Watson appeared rusty in the six starts he made during his first season in Cleveland, and things didn't get much better in the six starts he made last season before a shoulder injury landed him on season-ending injured reserve.

All told, Watson has now made 17 starts with the Browns across three seasons, going 9-8 and completing 60.0 percent of his passes for 3,069 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 picks.

It is fair to wonder if the Browns' unwillingness to bench him is based solely on his contract since the organization shockingly signed him to a fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million deal in 2022.

The Browns have a capable veteran backup in Jameis Winston, and even if at least one NFL coach believes Watson is still able to play at a high level under the right circumstances, it may be difficult for Stefanski to resist a change if the team continues to falter.

Watson's next chance to turn things around will come Sunday when the Browns go on the road to face the Philadelphia Eagles.