Deshaun Watson started 53 of his 54 career games across four seasons on the field for the Houston Texans. Watson, a three-time Pro Bowler, has started 19 games in his three seasons with the Cleveland Browns.
However, when Watson’s next start or even game action might be is a source of intrigue.
That remained the case following the latest attention-grabbing comments from Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski about Watson.
Ex-Texans QB Deshaun Watson Left in Limbo
GettyDeshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns looks on before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Texans traded Watson to the Browns during the 2022 offseason. He has thrown for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions on 61.2% completion. He is on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, recovering from a re-ruptured Achilles tendon.
“I don’t have an update there,” Stefanski told reporters on December 1, before being pressed about whether the lack of an answer was due to no new information or the coach not knowing.
“I just don’t have an official update on that.”
Watson had surgery to repair the tendon in January, and he has shared videos of himself working out, including at the Browns’ facilities. Stefanski, though, has remained relatively consistent in his vague messaging about the polarizing quarterback.
“I’m not sure if that’s what we’re doing,” Stefanski said in November, when asked if the Browns would open Watson’s 21-day practice window following their Week 10 loss to the New York Jets.
Watson has also received clear messages from Browns ownership amid his absence.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported in October that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said of acquiring Watson, “A big trade we made didn’t work out, and you know, we’re all suffering from that,” while endorsing Stefanski.
Potential personal preference is only one factor Watson and the Browns face regarding what comes next for the QB, whom the Texans selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2017 draft.
Deshaun Watson’s Contract a Major Hurdle
GettyDeshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns looks on from the bench before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Browns signed Watson to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract following the trade with the Texans, and the financial ramifications of cutting him are why there remains uncertainty about his future with the organization.
He recently began traveling with the team again, which has been an appreciated aspect of his maligned tenure, at least from Browns QB coach Bill Musgrave.
“It’s great to have his presence on the sideline for our young group,” Musgrave said in October.
Watson garnered attention for coaching up rookie fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders in what was the latter’s first start in Week 12. He had done the same thing with the Browns’ other rookie QB, third-rounder Dillon Gabriel, during his stint as the starter. Still, Watson’s future remains murky.
“There’s some thought in the organization to waiting until the offseason program in April to let Watson start practicing, but he’s coming along well enough that they might open the window soon,” Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot wrote in November. “The Browns fully expect Watson to be on the team in 2026, the final year of his contract.”
The Browns are still looking at north of $80 million in dead cap charges if they cut Watson during the 2026 offseason, and they have already restructured the deal multiple times.
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