Deshaun Watson's Plan to Stay Sharp During Suspension, the Concept of Rust

Albert Breer of theMMQB laid out how Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson plans to stay sharp as he serves his suspension for the first 11 games of the 2022 season.

Cleveland Browns quarterback will be eligible to return to the team's facility as of October 10th as he serves his 11-game suspension. TheMMQB's Albert Breer laid out the plan for Watson to stay prepared for his eventual return.

Deshaun Watson will start working this week toward Week 13.

My understanding is that ahead of Watson’s suspension, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and quarterbacks coach Drew Petzing worked with Watson’s throwing coach, Quincy Avery, to come up with an individualized plan, and throwing scripts, to keep Watson sharp while he’s away from the team.

That plan will be enacted this week by Avery and Watson who, for the time being, and until Watson’s allowed in the building, won’t be allowed to have contact with Browns coaches or anyone else with the team. As I’ve heard it, Watson and Avery will conduct sessions to include field drills, film and board work four days per week, and that’ll go for the next five weeks, with Watson allowed to return to the Browns’ practice facility Oct. 10, and begin practicing five weeks after that Nov. 14, ahead of his Dec. 4 return to the game field.

At least on paper, that looks like plenty of time for Watson to get reacclimated, though it’s fair to ask how rusty he’ll look after about 23 months without playing in a real NFL game.

The concept of rust is an interesting conversation regarding a football player, especially for a position that doesn't inherently involve contact. Maybe Watson will have some nerves in returning that will not be resolved until he takes a real shot, but that position doesn't need traditional hitting the way a running back or defensive end would to get acclimated to the game.

A quarterback can be quite sharp, because so much of the work he will be doing with his personal quarterback coach Quincy Avery will keep his throwing mechanics in peak form. The ball should come out of his hand cleanly and on the mark in terms of his accuracy and velocity.

Ideally, he'd be able to work at least 7-on-7 to keep his reads sharp, but that's not realistic. Nevertheless, the real issue for Watson coming back isn't likely to be how he's throwing the ball. It's more in terms of chemistry. 

How much practice time do the Browns really want to invest in getting Watson acclimated when he's in the building as they attempt to win games with Jacoby Brissett? It's not likely to be much if any.

How much additional time are receivers and tight ends going to put in beyond their normal week to get Watson ready? The Browns may be counting on this because like it or not, most of the wide receivers on this team are auditioning for 2023, so there is a major incentive for putting in extra work with Watson as a way to secure a roster spot on the team next year.

The biggest X-factor with Watson is his mental fitness. It's not going to be easy to walk into what could be the most hostile environment he will ever play, in the stadium and against the team that drafted him when the Browns travel to play the Houston Texans. He's never been hated his entire career. That could be jarring.

How much has this entire process weighed on Watson? It's anyone's guess how that part will impact Watson and his play.

It's unlikely the Browns will be firing on all cylinders when Watson takes the field, because there will be a feeling out process that will be termed 'rust' when it comes to Watson, but it has more to do with getting accustomed to teammates in live games as opposed to Watson simply trying to learn to ride a bike again. He's been practicing football for months and isn't going to stop during his suspension.