Player Commitment and Side Effects of the Deshaun Watson Trade
Cleveland Browns players are openly acknowledging a lack of player commitment that has been apparent much of the early part of this season, a risk of having such a young team especially when so much of it is concentrated on one side of the ball. While players are ultimately responsible for the amount of extra work they put in at the facility as well as away from it, this is yet another indirect cost of the move to acquire their would be franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Because of the negotiating process that led to he trade and the resulting uncertainty that came with Watson's availability, free agents weren't excited about the prospect of playing in Cleveland for the 2022 season. The assets spent on Watson and having to plan for future salary cap implications also discouraged the Browns from spending on veteran players, which almost certainly would have been on the defensive side of the ball and might have helped to avoid some of their current issues.
Instead, the Browns capitalized on an opportunity to trade for wide receiver Amari Cooper, a move that cost them just a fifth-round pick that gave them the proven receiver the team needed as well as another reason for Watson to come to Cleveland.
The Browns signed unproven veteran defensive tackle Taven Bryan, but their other moves on that side of the ball were re-signing players they already had, such as linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. They extended corner Denzel Ward as well.
The Browns actually got younger on that side of the ball by not re-signing players like defensive lineman Malik Jackson and trading corner Troy Hill. Jackson had a brutal year in Cleveland in no small part because he was signed to play the big end in their defense who would kick in to the three-tech, but because of the ineffectiveness of the interior, he played almost exclusively on the inside, a position he's not really built to play in a full-time role.
It's interesting that safety John Johnson III picked Wednesday to talk about player commitment because exactly one year ago, Jackson hinted at some of the issues the same issues within this team.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett gave an impassioned speech after the team's loss to the New England Patriots that may have started the ball rolling. The Browns leadership council has been discussing the issue internally. It's unclear if anyone wanted Johnson to bring it up publicly, but once it came out, the team's elder statesman Joel Bitonio confirmed the issue.
Last year, when Jackson brought up the issue, it felt more universal even if his criticism may have been more pointed. This year, the issues are almost exclusively on the defensive side of the ball.
Outside of the rookies on this team, the young defensive core was in tact for the events of last year. When they took ownership, that defense showed the ability to perform at a high level, flaws and all. As a result, it's difficult to simply dismiss the issues this year as naivete.
The injuries to players like Walker, Clowney and Garrett's car wreck don't help. Losing Walker was more impactful than anyone expected. One also wonders if Garrett's car wreck didn't impact his approach in the locker room. Given how scary that situation was and the guilt he may feel, as if he let everyone down in addition to however he may feel about putting his passenger at risk, he might be holding back. That would make him human, but the organization has to hope that he can reengage and push his teammates. His two sacks, one of which was a fumble for a recovery may help him get his mojo back on that front.
Walker's injury makes it so he cannot lead on the field, but he's likely still a resource as he recovers. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and the rest of the linebacker room still have access to him and may need him to help them do more in terms of preparation and simply helping them to expand their knowledge of the game.
The biggest area of concern that stands out in regards to a lack of leadership is the defensive backs room. Denzel Ward is someone the team hopes can grow into that role, is certainly paid like someone they expect to lead, but it doesn't seem to be happening the way they would have hoped. John Johnson III desperately wants to be the leader of the group, but his actions on the field can undermine him in that capacity.
It's difficult to discount how big the transition from being a rookie is to being a second year player and third year players. Rookies need help with everything. They are trying to learn how to manage their own lives in addition to adjusting to the level of competition in the NFL. If credible veterans tell them to do something and they want to be good in this league, they are usually going to do it.
In their second and third years, especially guys who have enjoyed success can be convinced they have it figured out only to find out the hard way just how unforgiving the NFL is. Players expect they can prepare the same way they did the year before and get the same results. The reality is that other teams now have had time to prepare for them, so they now have to work even harder just to get the same results. It may not be more in terms of the physical element, but it is more demanding on the mental side.
For so many players, the physical grind is an easier one to engage in than the mental one. Players are primed for that. That type of discomfort is familiar, even welcome. Bigger, faster, stronger is so important to success at the high school and collegiate levels.
In the NFL, those things are still important, but their football intelligence, understanding of techniques and adaptability become more critical to their success. That can be a more difficult transition for some players to make. Even after putting countless hours in the weight room and the practice field working on physical skills, they don't invest in themselves enough mentally and then struggle. Worse, when players put in all that work in the offseason and it doesn't feel like it's translating into success, it can be crushing for a player's confidence and motivation.
With the team in a hole, having failed to capitalize on three games that could have been won, they now have to decide how they proceed from here. They should accept the past as the past and put in the work necessary to be fully prepared for back to back divisional opponents. Back to back wins against the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals can put them back into the mix for the division crown and improve their chances for the wildcard.
Even if they fall short, but simply play better, with more consistency, they can gain some confidence that will carryover for the rest of this season and potentially set the tone for 2023. They might also find some of these young players start to develop into the leaders they need. JOK and Newsome are players that might be able to take on a larger role if they can break through their current slumps.
Failing that, they can continue looking like disorganized mess on Sundays and the team will have to make some difficult decisions. Players could still get traded before the November 1st deadline, but they may end up releasing some. Regardless, if players are simply irresponsible and unprofessional, they are hurting their earning power and likely will not be long for this league.
The Browns want to win but a side effect of the Deshaun Watson trade was this inherent audition from a multiple position groups and plenty of young players. That same trade contributed to an environment where the defensive side of the ball doesn't have the number of veterans it might have preferred, which could've provided a higher level of professionalism as well as better play.
Whatever anyone thinks of Watson the person, the Browns wouldn't hesitate to make that trade again. It puts more onus on the offense to carry this team, but an organization being painted as soft on accountability is going to be active in the coming offseason replacing players they cannot rely on in favor of proven commodities that can help them contend for a Super Bowl.
