Browns plan to start Brissett during Watson's suspension

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Monday he intends to roll with quarterback Jacoby Brissett as the starter during Deshaun Watson's six-game suspension, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

But Stefanski added it will be important to get both Brissett and Watson ready to play during training camp.

"We have a couple (of) plans. We're going to stick to it until we get more information," he said.

NFL disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson imposed the ban upon Watson earlier in the day following numerous allegations of sexual assault and sexual misconduct.

The NFL Players Association said it wouldn't appeal Robinson's verdict prior to her announcement. The league can challenge the ruling within the next three days.

Although the Browns have maintained that Brissett is their primary backup, rumors have persisted that the club could look to bring in another veteran to help cover Watson's absence.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has been speculated as a possible target. Garoppolo is on the trade block and should be cleared to resume practicing in mid-August after offseason shoulder surgery.

With an NFL-high $49 million in cap space, Cleveland has the resources to make another move under center.

Brissett boasts substantial starting experience, which primarily came during his four-year stint with the Indianapolis Colts. He started 30 games (and appeared in 16 more) for Indianapolis, racking up 6,059 yards and 31 touchdowns against 13 interceptions.

Copyright (C) 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.