FMIA: A Divided Cleveland Reckons With Deshaun Watson Reality and Why Rams Trust in Raheem Morris

CLEVELAND—On the 300 level of First Energy Stadium, in the concourse a half-hour before kickoff of the Browns’ preseason game, I observed the scene.

In the Cleveland Browns Pro Shop, four jerseys were for sale, two on top of two. Top two: Myles Garrett’s 95 and Nick Chubb’s 24. Bottom two: Denzel Ward’s 21, Deshaun Watson’s 4. I asked a shopper, young woman, if she’d buy a Watson jersey. “Too soon,” she said.

Outside, I posted up to count the passersby for 15 minutes. Of 163 jerseys I counted on fans, I saw Kosar, Manziel, Mayfield, Garrett (the most), Chubb, Beckham Jr., (Jim) Brown, (Joe) Thomas, even an Owusu-Koramoah. Zero Watsons.

Guy passed me in the concourse with a NEXT YEAR DAMMIT Browns T-shirt.

I stopped a 30-ish fan in Browns garb, Quinton from Lorraine, Ohio, and asked if he supported the team acquiring Watson. “I thought it was a good deal,” Quinton said. “It’s tricky. On the one hand, he never got found guilty of anything in a court of law, so what do we really know? But I’m conflicted because I feel for the women if something really did happen.”

“City seems divided,” I said.

“It really is,” Quinton said. “Lots of people have strong feelings on both sides.”

“What’ll it be like when Watson plays for the Browns in December?” I asked.

“What do they say? Time heals all wounds? If he wins, it’ll be forgotten.”

South of the city, an architect and former mega-Browns fan, Kyle Marvin, was not as forgiving as Quinton from Lorraine. Marvin hates the Watson trade and signing. He ignored the Browns-Eagles game on local TV Sunday. He’s been a religious Browns’ watcher and tailgater, the kind who gets to the tailgate lot at 6 a.m. on gamedays and delights (before Steeler games) in catcalling anyone wearing a Pittsburgh