Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is eager to get back on the field, which he made clear in a social media video posted this week.
Watson has been fairly active on social media documenting his recovery from a torn Achilles. He initially suffered the injury in October of last season but had a setback in January that required a second surgery.
Watson started the year on the physically unable to perform list and has already waited out the required four games. His return now depends on his health and when he’s cleared to start practicing. Once he’s cleared, the Browns will have a three-week window to add him to the active roster.
Watson has been conducting on-field work in recent weeks, which he documented in his latest TikTok post. The caption from Watson was especially telling.
“I got NO TIME for the bs, I gotta get back and handle business!” Watson wrote.
@deshaunwatson I got NO TIME for the bs, I gotta get back and handle business! MoreGLORY 🙏🏾 ⏳
No Clear Timeline for Deshaun Watson’s Return
The Browns have not provided a clear timeline on Watson’s return or whether it could realistically happen this season.
“He’s doing an excellent job with his rehab,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said on Wednesday. “We haven’t seen him as part of the throwing process with the team and those types of things, but he’s working very hard.”
Watson has drawn praise for his presence in the quarterback room. His voice now carries a little more weight in Cleveland’s quarterback room following the trade that sent 40-year-old veteran Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals. As the Browns’ most experienced signal-caller, Watson has taken on a mentorship role for rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
“Deshaun’s been a great guy to me and shares his knowledge whenever I ask questions. So, I’m very appreciative of him and know that relationship will continue to evolve as well,” Gabriel said.
Browns Name Shedeur Sanders Backup QB
If Watson does return, it’s uncertain where he’ll slot in on the depth chart. Gabriel will get a shot at showing he can be the franchise quarterback in Cleveland. And Sanders is now firmly in the mix as his backup.
Despite speculation that the Browns would elevate practice squad quarterback Bailey Zappe to the backup role, Cleveland confirmed that Sanders will hold down the No. 2 spot on Friday.
“In any decision, with the football team, just want to take time and make sure I’m doing what’s right for the players,” Stefanski said.
It’s been an interesting situation for Sanders in Cleveland since being selected in the fifth round. The Browns view him as a developmental prospect but he’s been able to show significant growth.
“For Shedeur, we’re looking for constant improvement throughout the season, and he’s done that,” Rees said. “You see the growth, and the familiarity of the offense and what we’re asking of those guys. The level of preparation it takes week-to-week, when you’re putting a new game plan together, that’s a learning curve for all rookies. He’s gotten more used to that, gotten up to speed, doing a nice job in his preparation and understanding what the game plan holds.
“And then when he’s had his opportunities to go operate it, he’s done a nice job. So, again, all of our rookies, we’re playing a lot of them, right? We’re trying to continue them on an upward trend and see how much they can handle and how to improve them, and he fits in with the rest of the group that way.”
The Browns face the Pittsburgh Steelers this week on the road.
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