Will Browns backup QB Jacoby Brissett be as successful as these past Cleveland backups?

Deshaun Watson will indeed play in 2022, unless the NFL decides otherwise, after the Browns quarterback was handed a six game suspension on Monday.

Watson is accused of more than two dozen sexual misconduct allegations, but the jointly appointed disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson, an independent arbitrator who heard the case, gave the former Pro Bowl quarterback a six-game suspension a month after the NFL was said to be pushing for an indefinite suspension.

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So, unless an appeal is filed either on behalf of Watson (which the NFLPA said it wouldn't do) or by the NFL, Watson will make his debut in Week 7 of the NFL season in Baltimore.

But what about the first six weeks of the Browns schedule?

Well, get ready for Jacoby Brissett to join the lengthy list of notable Browns backup quarterbacks.

Brissett was signed this offseason knowing that he would likely start games for the Browns as their $230 million quarterback was suspended. Brissett instantly became the most talked about backup quarterback in the league this offseason.

But will he go down as one of the best backup quarterbacks the Browns have had since returning to Cleveland in 1999?

Let's take a look.

Jacoby Brissett is more than Tom Brady's former backup in New England

Ironically, Brissett's biggest moment probably came in 2016 against the Houston Texans, Watson's former team. Brissett was actually the No. 3 quarterback that season for the New England Patriots. A suspension to Tom Brady and an injury to Jimmy Garoppolo forced Brissett to make his first start.

The former North Carolina State quarterback and third-round pick of the Patriots in 2016 threw for 103 yards and rushed for 48 more in a 27-0 win.

The Texans went 9-7 that season and drafted Watson in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Brissett was traded in September 2017 to the Indianapolis Colts and was the starting quarterback for much of 2017 before returning to the backup role behind Andrew Luck in 2018.

In 2019, following Luck's surprise retirement, Brissett signed a two-year, $30 million contract and became the starting quarterback for the Colts once again. He was replaced as the starter in 2020 by Philip Rivers and eventually signed a contract in 2021 with the Miami Dolphins.

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Browns backup QB since 1999 include Derek Anderson, Kelly Holcomb

Kelly Holcomb was the backup to Tim Couch in 2002, but he started two games and threw for 790 yards and eight touchdowns to four interceptions. He started the first Browns playoff game since returning to Cleveland, throwing for 429 yards and three touchdowns in a 36-33 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A few years later, Derek Anderson started the 2006 season as a backup to former Akron Zips great Charlie Frye. Frye started 13 games for the Browns and went 4-9, but Anderson started three games.

In 2007, Frye started the first game of the season for the Browns but was benched at halftime. Anderson came in and led the Browns to a 10-6 record. Frye was traded after Week 1 to the Seattle Seahawks.

Anderson made the Pro Bowl in 2007 and threw for 3,787 yards. It was the best season he ever had. He started nine games in 2008, when the Browns went 4-12. He eventually lost his job to Brady Quinn.

Johnny Manziel, Baker Mayfield were also Browns backup QBs

From 2012 to 2018, the Browns drafted three quarterbacks in the first round. Two of those picks, Baker Mayfield and Johnny Manziel started the season as backups. Only 2012 quarterback Brandon Weeden, 28 at the start of his first NFL training camp, won the starting job.

Manziel backed-up Brian Hoyer, who started 13 games, and wound up starting two games his rookie season. Mayfield started as the backup to Tyrod Taylor before starting the final 13 games of the season, going 6-7 with 3,725 passing yards.

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Brian Sipe went from Browns backup to NFL MVP

The Browns took quarterback Brian Sipe in the 13th round of the 1972 draft.

Sipe didn’t see the field for the Browns until 1974. That season he won just one of four games he played in. He was replaced by former first-round pick Mike Phipps.

After Phipps struggled in 1975, Sipe came off the bench after the Browns started 0-3.

Sipe became Cleveland’s starting quarterback for the next several season, and became synonymous with the “Kardiac Kids” era. He was named the MVP of the 1980 season after throwing for 4,132 yards and 30 touchdowns.

This article originally appeared on USATNetwork: Jacoby Brissett and Browns backup quarterback history