Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski joined The Rich Eisen Show this past week and discussed a number of different topics, including his expectations for Deshaun Watson.

Stefanski had a strong message for Watson, who is entering his third season with the Browns in 2024.

The former Clemson star and three-time Pro Bowl quarterback is returning from a season-ending shoulder injury in 2023, but Stefanski made it clear he wants to see Watson at his best this year.

“We always talk about (how) we want the best version of ourselves. I want the best version of Deshaun,” Stefanski said to Eisen. “He is constantly getting better. I see so many of these veterans – Rich, as you know, every single year you challenge them to get better. Even the guys that you feel like are at the height of their craft. Look at Myles Garrett, coming off that Defensive Player of the Year. He will be challenged both by us, and I know he does this to himself, he needs to get better. There are things that he can do better. I know Deshaun is in the same boat.”

Stefanski and the Browns are banking on a bounceback year from Watson, who has only played in a total of 12 games since the end of the 2020 season, when he was the NFL’s passing yards leader (4,823).

Watson sat out all of the 2021 season and then served an 11-game suspension to begin 2022 for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. In 2023, he went 5-1 as Cleveland’s starter before undergoing shoulder surgery following the Browns’ Week 10 win over the Ravens.

“He wants to be better, he wants to play better, every single game, every single year. … I’m excited for where he is right this minute with plenty of work to do,” Stefanski said. “I know he’s going to continue to get better and get healthy. But I’m excited about Deshaun.”

Prior to his season being cut short by injury, Watson completed 61.4 percent of his passes for 1,115 yards and seven touchdowns with four interceptions across six games last season.

Like Stefanski, Browns general manager Andrew Berry made it clear recently that his expectations are high for Watson, who was traded to Cleveland from the Houston Texans in March 2022 before signing a new fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract with the Browns.

Watson has passed for 16,756 yards and 118 touchdowns with 45 interceptions in 66 career games with the Browns and Texans since being taken by Houston in the first round (12th overall) of the 2017 draft.

In his two seasons with the Browns, Watson has completed 59.8 percent of his passes for 2,217 yards, 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

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