3 Reasons why Jimmy Garoppolo could save Browns' season with impending Deshaun Watson suspension 

Deshaun Watson smiled as he made his way onto the field for the first time since the 2021 season on Saturday. Although it wasn't the prettiest of performances, completing just one of his five passes for seven yards, it was enough to make Cleveland Browns fans feel both confident and gleeful that their franchise finally had one of the premier quarterbacks in the NFL.

Ultimately, those smiling faces will be transient as Watson appears to be on the verge of sitting out for the entire 2022 season. Still, even without the services of Watson, Cleveland's year could be revived if they could successfully enlist the help of the now unwanted Jimmy Garoppolo.

Currently, considering his track record, Garoppolo figures to be idoneous for the Browns' immediate future. Stick with us and read along as we dive into why he could lift the Browns into the title picture, even without Watson.

#1 - There's no one else to turn to

Before the 2021 offseason kicked off, several intriguing quarterback names were ready and available on the open market. Cleveland, of course, nabbed arguably the most impressive name on that list as they inked Deshaun Watson to a massive, fully guaranteed contract worth $230 million.

Ultimately, Cleveland were hopeful that Watson's impending suspension would push him to the sidelines for only approximately half of the season. Those prayers, however, won't be answered as commissioner Roger Goodell is seemingly leaning towards suspending the quarterback for the entirety of the year.

With little to no options remaining, Jimmy Garoppolo is by far the best quarterback left on the market. While he isn't their first option, Cleveland are very much docile and eager to go on a run this season. Garoppolo, by far, is best equipped to do just that, having led the San Francisco 49ers to the promised land in 2020.

#2 - Deshaun Watson will have considerable rust

Cleveland Browns Mandatory Minicamp

The hammer will undeniably come down hard on Deshaun Watson. But, at least for a moment, let's live in a fantasy world where commissioner Roger Goodell will take a more lenient stance.

If Goodell reverses course and issues a ban of about eight games for whatever reason, there will be a considerable amount of rust Watson will have to work his way back from, let alone if he's banned for the entire year.

Following his one-of-a-kind 2020 season, Watson forced his way out of Houston. In the process, Watson eschewed the wishes of management and opted to remain on the sidelines. Without an entire year of playing football, coupled with a lengthy suspension incoming, Watson's eventual return won't yield immediate results.

Jimmy G, the embattled soon-to-be former signal-caller of the San Francisco 49ers, won't have that issue. With a long list of offensive weapons at his disposal in Cleveland and what appears to be a top-five defense, Cleveland will be better off with Jimmy G at the helm, at least in the short term.

#3 - Jimmy Garoppolo does a whole lot of winning

NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers v Los Angeles Rams

Despite being shown the door by the San Francisco 49ers, Jimmy Garoppolo will exit stage left with his head held high. Through no fault of his own, the 49ers have opted against bringing him back to the fray as they'll now depend solely on the tantalizing talent of Trey Lance.

For Cleveland, bringing Garoppolo onboard should be priority number one as Deshaun Watson is unlikely to play this season, pending Roger Goodell's suspension. For as great as Watson has been throughout his relatively short career, he doesn't quite bring the winning pedigree that the 49ers signal-caller does.

Currently, with a winning percentage of 71.4 percent, Garoppolo ranks eighth-best in NFL history. To keep things even more current, Garoppolo, when healthy, led the 49ers on two incredibly deep runs, including a Super Bowl appearance in 2019.

Watson may represent Cleveland's future, but in the here and now, Garoppolo could provide them with a reprieve amid the perpetual drama surrounding Watson.