Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson may be nearing a return to practice, but the road to seeing actual game action remains far less certain.
Watson is still working his way back from a twice-ruptured Achilles tendon. The initial injury occurred last October, followed by a setback in January that required a second surgery.
He has been grinding through rehab, and the Browns are expected to open his 21-day practice window in the near future. However, even that milestone doesn’t guarantee he’ll take a snap this season, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
“Watson continues to make excellent progress in his rehab from the re-ruptured Achilles, and could still have his 21-day practice window open at some point this season,” Cabot said. “But actually getting on the field down the stretch is another story. The Browns will be judicious in putting him on the field with a maximum of only three weeks of practice since undergoing the initial Achilles repair last October.”
Cabot added that the Browns are more likely to wait until the offseason to give Watson a heavier workload and gauge what he can bring to the team.
Deshaun Watson Not in Browns’ Future Plans
Watson is on a fully guaranteed $230 million contract that runs through the 2026 season. But the former Pro Bowler is no longer part of the Browns’ plans for the future at the quarterback position, which has been made clear by comments made by owner Jimmy Haslam.
“We took a big swing-and-miss with Deshaun,” Haslam said Monday at the league’s annual meeting. “We thought we had the quarterback; we didn’t. And we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him, so we’ve got to dig ourselves out of that hole.”
Cleveland drafted both Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel with the hope that one of them could emerge as a long-term answer under center. The Browns are prioritizing reps for their rookies to see if either can seize the job.
Gabriel has started the last five games, going 1–4, and his numbers haven’t done him any favors. His 58.6% completion rate ranks last in the NFL, and he’s tied for sixth in turnover-worthy plays, per Pro Football Focus. Sanders remains the backup but could get his shot if the Browns continue to stumble with Gabriel at quarterback.
With two first-round picks in next year’s draft, Cleveland has the ammunition to make a major move if neither develops into a true franchise quarterback.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Eager to Prove He Can Still Play
Watson’s tenure in Cleveland has not been pretty. He has a 9-10 record as the starter, passing for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. In addition to his Achilles injury, Watson also had surgery on his shoulder in 2023.
The odds are stacked against Watson, but he remains determined to prove he can still be a viable NFL starter.
“Everyone is doubting me — everyone don’t believe in me,” Watson said in a social media video during the offseason. “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.”
Watson turned 30 in September. The last time he played a full season was in 2020.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Browns QB Deshaun Watson Gets Bad News Ahead of Ravens Game appeared first on Heavy Sports.