Deshaun Watson will have to wait at least a few more weeks before he’s able to rejoin the Cleveland Browns.
Watson has been working his way back from a twice-ruptured Achilles. He initially suffered the injury in October of 2024. He had a setback in January that required a second surgery. The Browns announced he’d miss a significant part of the season but did not rule him out for the year.
Watson was expected to be evaluated during the bye week, with the hopes of returning after the break. However, his return is still a ways off, and it’ll be a few more weeks until the Browns have a timeline for Watson, per Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.
“Watson is still awaiting medical clearance to practice after recovering from his re-torn Achilles, and the Browns hope to have a better sense of his timetable in the next week or two,” Cabot said.
When Watson is medically cleared, the Browns can open his 21-day practice window. The team can activate him to the 53-man roster at any time during that span. If not, he’ll remain on reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list for the remainder of the season.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Feels He has ‘Tread on Tires’
Watson’s tenure in Cleveland has been rocky and defined by injury. Before his Achilles injury, Watson needed surgery for a shoulder injury. Despite the setbacks, Watson — who turned 30 in September — feels like he can still be a productive NFL quarterback.
“Everyone is doubting me. Everyone don’t believe in me,” Watson said in a social media video in April. “Everyone don’t think I can get back to where I was. But I know, and I believe the work that I put in, that I believe in myself… I know, I’m gonna be way better than before.”
Browns quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave recently gave some insight into Watson’s mindset.
“Yeah, he’s definitely been through a lot. I know he wants to play a lot of football again. He feels like he’s got a lot of tread left on his tires,” Musgrave said.
When Watson has been available, he’s struggled to regain his Pro Bowl form from his Houston days, posting a 9-10 record as the starter while throwing for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
Deshaun Watson Serving as Mentor With Browns
While Watson hasn’t been able to get on the field, he’s still made his presence felt as a mentor for the team’s young quarterbacks.
“Deshaun is in there each and every day, and they bounce things off of Deshaun, about all kinds of things – football and offense, defense, quarterbacking related,” Musgrave said.
Meanwhile, the Browns are figuring out their current quarterback situation, which has been messy from the start. The team opened training camp with two veterans on the roster in Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco. But both have been traded.
Dillon Gabriel took the reins as the starter in Week 5 and entered Sunday with a 1-3 record. Fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders would likely be the next option if Gabriel continues to struggle.
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