CLEVELAND — Following their 23-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, the Cleveland Browns now have just a one percent chance of making the playoffs, according to Five Thirty-Eight.
To quote former Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Mora: "Playoffs? Don't talk about playoffs. You kidding me? Playoffs?!"
While the Browns have yet to officially be eliminated from playoff contention -- although they have been eliminated from winning the AFC North -- their postseason aspirations, for all intents and purposes, ended on Sunday. Still, at 5-8 on the season, Cleveland has four games remaining on its 2022 schedule.
And while it's a near-certainty that the Browns will be missing the playoffs for a second straight season, they still have plenty to play for in their final four games. With that in mind, let's take a look at three things to watch for during what's left of Cleveland's season.
Deshaun Watson's progress
After serving an 11-game suspension to open the season for violations of the league's Personal Conduct Policy stemming from multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, Deshaun Watson made his Browns debut in the team's Week 13 matchup against the Houston Texans. While Cleveland won the game 27-14, the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback was noticeably rusty against his former team, completing just 12 of his 22 pass attempts for 131 yards and one interception.
Watson improved against the Bengals, completing 26 of 42 attempts for 276 yards, one touchdown and one interception while adding 33 rushing yards, but he has still yet to recapture his Pro Bowl form. Getting the 27-year-old back to speed following a nearly-two-year-hiatus from the NFL will be Cleveland's top priority in its final four games as it eyes Watson's first full season with the Browns in 2023.
Kevin Stefanski's job status
While Kevin Stefanski was voted the 2020 NFL Coach of the Year after leading Cleveland to an 11-5 record and the team's first playoff appearance since 2002, he has since amassed an uninspiring 13-17 record. Even considering the circumstances -- notably Baker Mayfield's underwhelming 2021 season and Watson's suspension -- the reality is that in the NFL, you are what your record says you are and for Stefanski, that will likely include two straight seasons without a postseason appearance.
While one could argue that it would only be fair for Stefanski to get a full season with Watson under center, the NFL is often a results-based business. In other words, if Watson doesn't thrive in these next four games -- and/or the Browns don't improve their record -- it wouldn't be a surprise to see another coaching search in Cleveland this January.
The rest of the roster
It's not just the Browns' coaching staff that will be evaluated in these final four weeks. As the calendar turns to 2023, general manager Andrew Berry has several key decisions to make when it comes to the makeup of his current roster.
With players such as Kareem Hunt, Jack Conklin, Jadeveon Clowney, Ronnie Harrison Jr., Deion Jones and Greedy Williams each set to hit free agency, the next four weeks could help Berry which players he will attempt to re-sign and which ones he will let walk. Cleveland also has a number of key players eligible for extensions, including Jedrick Wills Jr. -- who the Browns will have to decide whether or not to exercise a fifth-year option on -- Harrison Bryant and Donovan Peoples-Jones.
Additionally, with Watson signed to a fully guaranteed $230 million contract, how Cleveland manages its cap space moving forward will be paramount. As a result, the Browns will have to evaluate players on high-figure salaries -- such as Amari Cooper and John Johnson III -- who they could renegotiate with, or even potentially cut, in the offseason ahead.
How these players -- and their potential replacements already on Cleveland's roster -- perform in the weeks ahead could go a long way toward shaping the Browns' outlook for 2023.