Betting Market Cool On Cleveland Browns After Deshaun Watson Suspension Finalized

News of the NFL and NFLPA settling on an 11-game suspension and $5 million fine for Browns QB Deshaun Watson is affecting Cleveland's betting futures.

Prior to the settlement, the Over for Cleveland's season win total of 8.5 was +125. Following the reported settlement with Watson, Cleveland's Over remains at 8.5 but the price has increased up to +135 at FanDuel Sportsbook.

The Browns were the favorite to win the AFC North (+190) after trading for Watson in mid-March. Now, Cleveland is +370 at FanDuel to win the division, putting it behind the Baltimore Ravens (+145) and Cincinnati Bengals (+190). Also, the Browns went from +1400 to win the AFC to +2100 following the Watson news.

Deshaun Watson's added suspension has changed the betting markets for the Cleveland Browns (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

Personally, Browns' futures are an absolute stay-away unless they trade for San Francisco 49ers QB Jimmy Garappolo. Backing a Jacoby Brissett quarterbacked team to win their division is dumb. I don't care how good Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski is or how much talent Cleveland has.

Brissett is 14-23 in his career as a starter with an unimpressive 83.0 career QB Rating. He went 7-8 as the starter of the 2019 Indianapolis Colts. A year prior, the Colts won a playoff game with Andrew Luck under center. Essentially, Brissett is a good backup quarterback but a bottom-five starter.

Furthermore, Cleveland's defense isn't reliable enough to pick up the slack for a subpar offense. Sure, the Browns have a top-five edge rusher in DE Myles Garrett and a top-ten cover CB in Denzel Ward. But, Cleveland's defense has ranked inside the top 20 in points allowed only once since drafting Garrett first overall in 2017.

Perhaps there'll be value on the Browns' futures midseason pending their record and standings in the AFC North. Cleveland's first four games are winnable -- at Carolina, home against the Jets and Steelers and then at Atlanta -- and Deshaun Watson comically returns in Week 13 to play a terrible Houston Texans team.

Unless the Browns trade for Jimmy G or the Ravens and Bengals get nuked with injuries, stand pat on Cleveland's future odds. There will be value on the Browns midseason if they are in the mix upon Watson's return.