Deshaun Watson is working to reclaim the spotlight as the Cleveland Browns ushered in a new era at quarterback, welcoming rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders to the facility on Thursday.
Gabriel and Sanders reported ahead of rookie minicamp, which officially kicks off Friday. Both young guns will be in the mix for the starting quarterback job, competing alongside veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett.
Watson is the forgotten fifth quarterback on the roster, although he’s still impacting the Browns’ cap space heavily. After trading for him in 2022, the Browns handed Watson a $230 million fully guaranteed contract, which has proved to be a disaster.
Watson’s tenure started with an 11-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, setting a turbulent tone. Since then, it’s only gotten worse. He’s battled multiple serious injuries, including a fractured shoulder and now a ruptured Achilles that’s expected to sideline him for most — if not all — of next season. Watson has gone 9-10 as the starter in Cleveland and it’s unlikely he’ll log another start with the Browns.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Continues to Document Recovery
Watson has been documenting his recovery from the torn Achilles on social media, frequently posting videos showing him working in the Browns’ facility.
“You know, everyone’s doubting me. Everyone don’t believe in me. They don’t think that I can get back to where I was,” Watson said in a video posted to social media in April. “So I know, and I believe the work that I put in. What I believe in myself, the peace that I’ve been channeling these last couple months, I know I’m gonna be way better than before.”
Watson’s latest post on Wednesday didn’t include a caption, but the 15-photo slideshow highlighted his ongoing recovery. It marks a notable shift for the Browns quarterback, who split time between Miami and Cleveland after initially suffering an Achilles injury in October. He re-injured his Achilles and had surgery again in January.
But it might be too little, too late for Watson, with Cleveland clearly ready to go in a different direction, regardless of how many photos he posts in Browns gear.
“We took a big swing-and-miss with Deshaun,” Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said 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.
“… [The trade] was an entire organization decision and it ends with Dee [Haslam] and I, so hold us accountable.”
Joe Flacco in ‘Pole Position’ for Browns Starting QB Job
How the quarterback depth chart unfolds for the Browns is unknown. But 40-year-old Flacco appears to be in the driver’s seat ahead of training camp.
“My sense is that Joe Flacco is going to take the first snap in the spring, which there’s some significance to that,” Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer said on the Rich Eisen Show. “I think [Steelers coach] Mike Tomlin called it pole position last year when he was talking about his own quarterback situation. I think Joe Flacco has pole position here.”
Flacco stepped in for Watson in 2023 after a shoulder injury sidelined the starter, guiding the Browns to a 4-1 record and the postseason. However, if Cleveland sees potential in either Sanders or Gabriel, the team may consider turning to a rookie in hopes of finally finding long-term stability at quarterback.
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