© Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Cincinnati's Reader Knows What's Coming to AFC North with Browns Adding Watson
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If anybody knows what's coming to the AFC North with the Cleveland Browns bringing in former Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, it's someone who played with him in college and in the NFL.
Former Tiger defensive lineman DJ Reader, who now plays for the Cincinnati Bengals, realizes what his team will be up against twice a season now, barring a suspension this year for Watson.
"They got a lot better, "Reader said about Cleveland during an interview on Cincinnati's website. "He’s a really good player. He was like Michael Jordan that one time."
Reader was a member of Clemson's 2015 squad, which was the first in program history to reach the College Football Playoff. The Tigers won 14 games that year and lost to Alabama in the national championship game in Glendale, Arizona.
Watson had a stellar season, passing for 4,104 yards and 35 touchdowns and rushing for 1,105 yards and 12 more scores while being a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. The following season, Watson went on to play lead the Tigers to a national title, the program's first since 1981.
Reader, who had eight tackles and 1.5 tackles for a loss in 2015, played two seasons with Watson before going on to be drafted in the fifth round in 2016 by the Houston Texans. The duo reunited the following season when the Texans took Watson in the first round as their franchise quarterback, and they helped Houston make the NFL playoffs in 2018 and 2019.
"That’s my brother. I love Deshaun," Reader said. "He has made some special memories for me as a player watching him. Being on the other side, I’ve been blessed to play with some good quarterbacks as of late.”
Reader signed a free-agent deal with the Bengals in 2020 and helped lead them to the Super Bowl this past season when he had 12 tackles and a sack in the playoffs.
Watson hasn't played in the NFL since 2020 when he led the league in passing yards. He asked for a trade from the Texans in early 2021 but was then hit with 22 civil lawsuits for inappropriate conduct and sexual assault. Once it was clear he wasn't going to face criminal charges, the Texans sent him to Cleveland, which Watson signed off on, in March for a significant package of draft picks.
Watson could still face NFL punishment in 2022, but it's becoming unlikely if the lawsuits aren't settled this year. If he's eligible, Watson will start immediately for the Browns, replace former first-overall selection Baker Mayfield and join a division with Cincinnati's Joe Burrow and Baltimore's Lamar Jackson playing quarterback.
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