Browns demote embattled Watson
Jacoby Brissett has jumped ahead of Deshaun Watson at quarterback on the Browns’ depth chart. Coach Kevin Stefanski said Brissett will take the majority of snaps with the team’s first-team offense starting Sunday, a move necessitated by Watson’s pending suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy for sexual misconduct allegations.
Watson, who made his debut with the Browns on Friday by starting the exhibition victory over the Jaguars, has been the No. 1 quarterback throughout training camp.
But he’s going to miss at least the first six regular-season games — and potentially more — so the Browns need to get Brissett ready for the opener Sept. 11 at Carolina.
“That has been the plan from the beginning, to at some point let Jacoby get the majority of [snaps], still work Deshaun, still work Josh Dobbs and still work Josh Rosen,” Stefanski said, referring to the team’s four quarterbacks.
Watson’s situation remains in flux. His sixgame suspension handed down by independent arbiter Sue L. Robinson was appealed by the NFL and is being decided by Peter C. Harvey, a former New Jersey Attorney General appointed by commissioner Roger Goodell.
Harvey’s ruling could come at any time, and there’s still the possibility Watson and the league could agree to a settlement. Watson’s defense reportedly would accept an eight-game suspension and $5 million fine.
Meanwhile, Browns starting center Nick Harris likely will need season-ending surgery on his right knee, which was injured on the second play of the exhibition opener. Stefanski didn’t provide details on the injury or test results. He said that surgery was “likely” but that the team is continuing to gather information before finalizing plans.
Trubisky goes 4-for-7 for Steelers
Former Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky played most of the first quarter in the Steelers’ 32-25 victory over the visiting Seahawks. He went 4-for-7 for 63 yards and threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Gunner Olszewski to cap a seven-play, 90-yard drive.
Trubisky is in a three-way battle with rookie Kenny Pickett (the Steelers’ firstround pick in 2022) and Mason Rudolph to replace retired two-time Super Bowl winner Ben Roethlisberger as the team’s starting quarterback.
Pickett threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Vaughns with three seconds to play to cap the Steelers’ victory. A former University of Pittsburgh standout, Pickett played the second half and finished 13-for-15 for 95 yards and two touchdowns.
He received a loud ovation and chants of “Kenny, Kenny, Kenny” when he first took the field in the third quarter and before the eventual winning drive.
Panthers not settled at QB
The Panthers are another day closer to announcing a starting quarterback before the beginning of the regular season, but the first exhibition game did not do much to drastically change the status of the competition.
Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass and Baker Mayfield was solid aside from a fumbled snap in the Panthers’ 23-21 preseasonopening victory over the host Commanders.
Even if Mayfield appears to be the favorite after the Panthers traded for him and based on training camp, neither he nor Darnold separated himself in the race.
Jets dodge bullet on Wilson’s injury
Quarterback Zach Wilson and the Jets appear to have avoided a preseason nightmare. Wilson reportedly is expected to miss two to four weeks with a bone bruise and meniscus tear in his right knee.
The timeline for how long Wilson is sidelined reportedly will be determined by an arthroscopic procedure to repair the meniscus — the schedule for which is pending a second opinion. It initially was feared that Wilson suffered a serious — and potentially seasonending — injury during the second offensive series of the Jets’ preseason game Friday.
Rookie Araiza launches 82-yard punt
Bills rookie punter Matt Araiza, nicknamed the “Punt God” while at San Diego State, lived up to his nickname by unleashing an 82-yard kick in the team’s 27-24 preseason victory over the visiting Colts. The punt, which occurred in the waning seconds of the second quarter, went from near the Bills’ 10yard line to bouncing into Colts’ end zone.