Watson looks rusty, Browns lose center Harris in preseason opener | Jeff Schudel

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Aug. 12—The only way the resumption of Deshaun Watson's career could have gotten off to a worse start would have been for Roger Goodell to run into the Browns' huddle, grab Watson by the collar, drag him off the field and announce Watson has been suspended for a year.

The Browns won the coin toss in their preseason opener Aug. 12 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. Uncharacteristically, Coach Kevin Stefanski elected to take the ball first. And why not? It was only a practice game and he, like everyone else, was eager to see Watson play for the first time since Jan. 3, 2021, when he played for the Texans. That's a span of 586 days between games.

Ja'Marcus Bradley, trying to win the kick returner job that opened when Jakeem Grant suffered an Achilles injury in practice Aug. 9, failed to get the ball to the 15. Watson attempted a pass on his first play and overthrew Anthony Schwartz.

But the worst was yet to come.

Watson looked to Schwartz on the second play. The ball went through Schwartz' hands, but that incompletion became secondary to what else happened on the play. Starting center Nick Harris suffered a right knee injury trying to protect Watson on a bull rush.

Harris had to be carted off the field, and the Browns quickly announced he would not return. It did not look good as the trainer pressed the bottom of Harris' right foot, as if to help keep the knee in place.

Ethan Pocic replaced Harris, and now the Browns are in trouble at center. JC Tretter, released in March, is a free agent. Browns general manager Andrew Berry still has Tretter's phone number.

The Browns trailed, 13-0, when Josh Dobbs took over at quarterback on Cleveland's first possession of the second quarter. Watson's numbers were ugly: 1-for-5 for seven yards. He was on the field for three possessions and did not produce a first down.

The Browns did have highlights from two rookies in the first half. Jerome Ford, trying to win a job as the third running back, rushed for 48 yards. One run gained 41 yards, and he scored the team's first touchdown from the 3 when he ran into the end zone standing.

D'Ernest Johnson, competing with Ford for the third spot at running back, lost a fumble on the Browns' second possession.

Stefanski says it virtually every day: Ball security is priority one. If the Browns trade a running back, it won't be Kareem Hunt. It will be Johnson, though certainly not just because of one preseason fumble. Hunt is simply more valuable to the offense.

Rookie cornerback M.J. Emerson gave the Browns the lead, 14-13, on a 74-yard interception return with 41 seconds left in the first half.

On the negative side, Schwartz mishandled two passes excluding the one that was overthrown.

No one will over-react to Watson's unglamorous debut for the Browns. Starting wide receiver Amari Cooper plus star running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt were given the night off. So were defensive ends Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney, starting cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome, safety John Johnson and left guard Joel Bitonio.

One would assume that before the Browns host the Eagles at 1 p.m. Aug. 21, the NFL would announce a binding suspension for Watson for violation the league's personal conduct policy regarding 24 women accusing him of sexual misconduct, but maybe not. It has already dragged on longer than anyone expected.

On Aug. 1, disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson recommended a six-game suspension for Watson. The NFL wants a season-long banishment. The decision is in the hands of former New Jersey attorney general Peter C. Harvey, hand-picked by Commissioner Goodell to hear the NFL's appeal of the six-game suspension.

Watson, who all along said he did nothing wrong, in the pregame show prior to the telecast on WEWS-TV 5 apologized to the women suing him.

"Look, I want to say that I'm truly sorry to all of the women that I have impacted in this situation," Watson told sideline reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala. "The decisions that I made in my life that put me in this position I would definitely like to have back, but I want to continue to move forward and grow and learn and show that I am a true person of character and I am going to keep pushing forward."

The apology, 18 months too late, is unlikely to earn him any sympathy from Harvey.

Jacoby Brissett, slated to start during Watson's suspension, was also given the night off in Jacksonville. Brissett could get the starting job next week against the Eagles.