BEREA, Ohio — The Browns have said since OTAs and minicamp this spring that they had plans in place for any amount of time Deshaun Watson would have to miss. Now, after disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson made her decision, issuing a six-game suspension with no fine for Watson's violation of the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy amid allegations of sexual misconduct, the time has come to put that plan into action with Jacoby Brissett leading the way.
With Watson set to miss the first six games of the season, the plan is to move Brissett into the starting role in that time. Leading the Browns to start the season is something that Brissett's career has prepared him thoroughly for.
"It’s been my situation throughout my career. It’s nothing that I’m unfamiliar with, always being ready to go when my number has been called and that’s the case now," he said. "Since I’ve been in this league, it’s been the next man up. That was the case my rookie year and it’s been that way since I‘ve been in the league, so that experience obviously helps and helps with not only the playing but with the mindset of understanding that hey, you’ve got to be ready whenever your number is called.”
Head coach Kevin Stefanski has been working out part of that plan in advance, getting Brissett plenty of first-team reps since workouts in the spring. While Watson will still take a good share of first-team reps through training camp to prepare him to return to the field in October after not playing at all last season, Brissett's first-team reps will be top of mind. That's something Brissett is soaking in as he readies for his moment.
“It’s extremely important, obviously, because those are the guys I’ll be with and I’m sure that process will continue so just keep taking advantage of those reps," Brissett said. "Excited about the talent that we have on his team, the way that those guys work, the way they come in and prepare, and get ready to go for practice and preparation for games is exciting. And I'm looking forward to continuing that growth."
The job facing Brissett comes with a lot of pressure, but one thing he's not doing is leaving the situation with Watson to Watson himself. He, like many players, chose not to read Robinson's report on the investigation
and subsequent ruling on Watson. He said, at the end of the day, that's not his place.
"I feel that is Deshaun’s business and I would like to stay out of that," Brissett said.
Linebacker Anthony Walker shared similar sentiments.
"That’s just not my business. I feel like that’s Deshaun’s stuff to take care of. Got to let the legal process handle itself and I didn’t want to put myself in that situation. It’s football here for us and he handles it the way he needs to handle it," Walker said.
Walker is close with both Watson and Brissett, but has a real history with the latter.
"We spend a lot of time together, me and Jacoby, during the season, out of season. We used to have dinners every Monday when we were in indy. Just stuff like that. Just a lot of similar interests and stuff," Walker said. "I’ve known Jacoby for so long."
Having that deep connection allows Walker to have some deep insight to the quarterback the Browns will have leading them to start the season—and he's confident that Brissett will be able to deliver.
"I know the way he prepares, his mindset. Whether he’s a starter or a backup, he’s going to prepare as he’s the starter. That’s the love of the game that he has, the respect of the game that he has. At the end of the day I know he’s going to put his best foot forward. Like I told him, ‘We believe in him.’ He knows everybody in this organization believes in him and we’ve got his back."
Walker's confidence in Brissett is mirrored by Brissett's confidence in himself. The quarterback credits the people around him for allowing him to believe in himself when he takes the field.
“I guess from my upbringing. I’ve been in this situation before. I have good people around me and I know myself," Brissett said. “My brothers. My mom. My high school coaches. Everybody that had a part in me getting to this position. My confidence has never wavered. Those people I have close to me have extreme confidence in me. Why would I doubt myself?”
That confidence has already been seen at training camp as Brissett begins ramping up his first-team reps, connecting with Donovan Peoples-Jones and getting in a groove with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt in the backfield. That is certainly appreciated by his teammates, who share his confidence as they prepare to start the season with Brissett under center to start.
"I don’t think nobody on our team, period, is lacking confidence. And that’s the camaraderie that we’ve built, the trust and belief within the franchise," Walker said. "We’re not lacking confidence anywhere, and that’s not to be arrogant, but that’s just to say we understand that the work that we have to put in and we’re putting in that work now so that on Sundays we can go out and execute. So, when you have a lot of guys with that confidence—and Jacoby, another confident guy you add into that mix—yeah, it should be good."
Camryn Justice is a reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Twitter @camijustice.
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