Sunday's Browns home opener will have a different feel for fans as they head to the newly named Huntington Bank Field after a sponsorship deal announced Tuesday put an end to Cleveland Browns Stadium, formerly First Energy Stadium. Longtime play-by-play man Jim Donovan has retired after 25 years due to continued health concerns.
Ideastream Public Media’s sports commentator Terry Pluto said he was optimistic Donovan would return.
"It surprised me late last week when he announced that he wasn't going to do the games on radio anymore because I had sat with him a few weeks earlier at a Browns practice and he certainly was talking about coming back next year," Pluto said. "So, he said that new treatments he has to have, he can't quite do it anymore."
Pluto added that Donovan will be missed.
“I'd written a lot over the last few years about his battle with leukemia and melanoma and different forms of cancer and I was just hopeful that he could do another season," Pluto said. "So, I know how much it meant to him and how much it means to the fans."
While Sunday's game will feel a bit different for fans, the discussion about football will be similar to the last few seasons; Can Deshaun Watson return to Pro Bowl form after shoulder surgery and two difficult seasons in Cleveland?
“In terms of watching these practices, how he's thrown the ball, he looks fine," Pluto said. "But he's played only 12 total games in three years. What happens when he starts getting tackled? Because in these practices nobody's allowed to touch him. He didn't play in any preseason games."
Pluto acknowledged he doesn't know what to think about Watson.
“I wish I could be more positive, but I've got to see the guy that made three Pro Bowls in Houston," Pluto said. "The guy that when the Browns are traded for him, he had the highest completion percentage in NFL history for anybody throwing at least 1,500 passes. In other words, he was a very, very accurate passer and he also was durable, I may add. We've not seen the guy being durable and his passing can be erratic. So, I don't know what to think about him, other than from what I could tell, his arm is strong after the shoulder surgery, so that's the good news. As for the rest, I'm in the "who knows" category."
Pluto said he has confidence in James Winston as Watson’s new backup this season. And he said overall, the team has a strong roster.
“Remember, they had an elite defense last year," Pluto said. "I think it's going to be elite again. They have really good guys who could catch the ball with Amari Cooper, tight end David Njoku (and) they traded for this guy Jerry Jeudy."
As for running backs, Pluto believes it will mid-season before Nick Chubb returns from last fall’s double knee surgery.
“But, Jerome Ford some of these other guys could run the ball well," Pluto said. "I mean, they found ways to win last year despite having to work around Watson."
As for predictions, Pluto said the Browns will go 10-7.
“I think that's what I predicted them last year, simply because even if Watson struggles, I just believe that between the coaching staff and the talent, they still have enough to put together a winning season,” Pluto said.
Then, he revised it to 9-8 because of a difficult division with Baltimore, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.
“I just think it's going to be a hard year," Pluto said. "It's a tough division and that's the big factor for them, it's going to be, can they win these games in the AFC North?”
