‘Whole Thing’s a Disaster’ — Former Raiders Star Derek Carr Delivers a Brutally Honest Verdict on Browns’ $230M Deshaun Watson Nightmare

The Cleveland Browns’ quarterback situation has reached another critical point, and former NFL quarterback Derek Carr did not hold back when discussing it.

Following Cleveland’s 34-10 Week 1 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Carr described the entire Deshaun Watson situation as a “disaster” while questioning how much time the veteran quarterback has left to turn things around.

Derek Carr Doesn’t Hold Back on Browns’ Deshaun Watson

Watson struggled in Cleveland’s season opener, completing 16 of 22 passes for 205 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

The numbers looked better by the end of the game, but Watson had managed just 100 passing yards through three quarters as the Browns fell behind 34-3. He completed all five of his fourth-quarter attempts for 105 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown pass to rookie Denzel Boston.

Watson was also sacked five times and added 38 rushing yards on six carries.

With Cleveland now preparing to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2, Carr believes Watson could be running out of opportunities.

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Speaking on the “Home Grown” podcast, Carr suggested Watson needs to play well against Tampa Bay if he wants to remain the starter when the Browns return home to face the Carolina Panthers.

“If it doesn’t go well for Cleveland in this game, and I feel bad for any human being that has to deal with this… There’s no way he (Watson) jogs into that stadium starter for the home opener. I don’t think that they will,” Carr said.

Carr also suggested the Browns could be giving quarterback Shedeur Sanders time to develop before potentially turning to him later in the season.

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The former Raiders quarterback was then asked about the difficulty of Watson’s situation, particularly after Browns owner Jimmy Haslam publicly described it as one of his mistakes.

Carr’s response was blunt. “The whole thing’s a disaster. I’ll say that.”

Watson’s $230 Million Contract Adds to the Pressure

Watson’s situation is especially complicated because of the massive contract Cleveland gave him after acquiring him from the Houston Texans in 2022.

The Browns handed Watson a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed deal, but his time in Cleveland has been limited. He has appeared in only 20 regular-season games for the franchise.

That combination of injuries, limited availability, and inconsistent production has made the quarterback situation increasingly difficult for Cleveland.

Now, Watson, who ranks second-last on PFN’s QB Impact Metric, has another opportunity against Tampa Bay to change the conversation.

If he struggles again, the Browns could face an even bigger decision about whether to continue with their veteran quarterback or turn to Sanders as the season progresses.