The Browns begin the season Sunday in Jacksonville with many questions, but one maybe more important than wins and losses: Can the team at least be watchable?
Ideastream’s sports commentator Terry Pluto has used that word to describe the status of the team in recent years. For Pluto, watchability is about more than winning.
“Fans turn to your games to kind of step away from problems on the job, problems in their family, health problems, whatever it is," Pluto said. "So, for a few hours, I could kind of immerse myself in whether my team's winning or losing and how are they playing? And do you look like you even practiced during the week? Can you score some points?”
The Browns have gone 8-26 over the past two seasons, which is more wins than the Titans (6), Giants (7) and Raiders (7) and tied with the Jets. Despite that, a new ESPN ranking based on team watchability ranks Cleveland last in the NFL.
“In terms of how they played in the last two years, the Browns scored the fewest points in the NFL and they had the second most pre-snap penalties," Pluto said. "That's not watchable. That's more agony."
The Browns have a new head coach in Todd Monken, and owner Jimmy Haslam has made it clear he wants the team to look different. While introducing Monken in February, Haslam directly referenced Pluto’s criticism of the Browns’ offense:
"What does Terry say?" Haslam asked. "'They're ugly to watch sometimes.' We're not going to be ugly to watch".
Pluto said Haslam’s comments were consistent with what he has heard from the organization about the changes Monken is expected to make.
“(Haslam) mentioned that that was one of the reasons that Todd Monken was brought in," Pluto said. "Monken is a longtime offensive coordinator for several teams and he was known as a guy who’s sort of a disciplinarian.”
One of Monken’s biggest decisions came at quarterback. Pluto said top Browns executives have confirmed that the decision on who would start was Monken’s, and he chose Deshaun Watson.
Watson has played just 19 games for the Browns since joining the team in 2022. His Cleveland tenure has been disrupted by an 11-game suspension following sexual misconduct allegations, as well as season-ending shoulder and Achilles injuries, after signing a historic, $230 million guaranteed contract with the team.
“Part of the problem with the Browns being unwatchable is Watson's been unwatchable,” Pluto said. “He's been among the worst-ranked quarterbacks in the NFL the last couple of years when he has played. Part of being watchable is at least having adequate quarterback play and they haven't had that.”
Pluto said Monken’s handling of the quarterback position could become one of the defining storylines of the season.
“I think his first tough decision is going to be if Watson struggles early in the year -- and frankly, I expect him to, I just don't have much confidence -- when do you change quarterbacks?" Pluto said. "How does that go and what are the ramifications of that? So those are things to watch for down the line.”
The Browns are also counting on a young roster around Watson. Pluto said promising pieces are in place on defense and among the team's offensive players.
“I was talking to one NFL guy, he goes, 'You know, the Browns aren't bad except at quarterback,'" Pluto said. "Even trading Myles Garrett to the Rams, they got a guy named (Jared) Verse, a defensive end, is pretty good, and some draft picks.”
On offense, Pluto is interested in seeing what new receivers Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion can do. He also singled out tight end Harold Fannin Jr. as his favorite player to watch.
“So, in other words, they have some weapons on offense, they've done a lot of work on trying to fix the offensive line," Pluto said. "I think the Browns have the capability of moving in a direction of being watchable.”
Pluto is once again predicting a 7-10 season for the Browns, though he acknowledges he missed the mark last year when Cleveland finished 5-12.
“Where they're going to run into trouble is whether Deshaun Watson is the quarterback for a long time or Shedeur Sanders is, that position is really weak," Pluto said. "But you could win more games than you have in the past. And you can be just a better team to watch. And I really do expect that to happen. So maybe no playoffs, but you could watch the Browns without a lot of agony this year.”
