Deshaun Watson’s push to win the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback job did not stop when the team departed from offseason workouts.
The Browns are still weeks away from training camp, but Watson returned to Cleveland this week to throw and train at the team facility. He brought his private physical therapist, Billy Voltaire, and personal quarterbacks coach, Quincy Avery, with him, turning part of the summer break into another chance to show the Browns where his focus is.
Watson is not being handed the job and still has a long way to go if he hopes to reclaim the QB1 spot. Shedeur Sanders remains firmly in the competition, and head coach Todd Monken has made it clear the Browns need to see more before making a decision. But Watson’s move sent a clear signal before camp.
“When they get back to camp, I do believe it’s going to be a robust competition between Deshaun and Shedeur,” Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot said on 92.3 The Fan. “I thought it was very significant Deshaun came back up here to throw, to train, to show this football team and coaching staff he means business here.”
Watson said during minicamp that getting a chance to start again is “very important” to him, adding that every player in the locker room should have that mindset. He also said he is “fully healthy, ready to go” after a long stretch of injuries that derailed his first few seasons in Cleveland.
Browns TE Harold Fannin Jr. Gives Deshaun Watson Notable Target
One of the more interesting pieces of Cabot’s reporting was the inclusion of Harold Fannin Jr. among the pass-catchers working with Watson.
Fannin was limited during offseason workouts while recovering from an injury, making any extra work with Watson more notable. The Browns are installing a new offense under Monken, and Fannin missed valuable spring reps while Watson and Sanders were trying to build timing with the rest of the group.
Fannin was one of the few bright spots in Cleveland’s offense last season. The rookie tight end led the Browns in receiving with 72 catches for 731 yards and six touchdowns, quickly establishing himself as a key piece of the team’s future.
Fannin gives the Browns a reliable option in the middle of the field and a young tight end who can help create manageable throws. If Watson is going to win the job and stabilize the offense, he will need quick trust with the players who can keep the chains moving.
Deshaun Watson Has Plenty at Stake
The Browns made one of the biggest bets in NFL history when they traded for Watson and gave him a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract. Four years later, he is entering the final season of that deal with his future in Cleveland in doubt and his NFL reputation still in need of repair.
For the Browns, the production has not come close to matching the investment. Since joining the Browns, Watson has played in 19 games. He has completed 341 of 557 passes for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, with an 80.7 passer rating. He has also rushed for 465 yards and three touchdowns and owns a 9-10 record as Cleveland’s starter.
The injury history is just as concerning. Watson’s 2023 season ended because of shoulder surgery. His 2024 season ended with a torn Achilles. A setback in his recovery kept him out for all of 2025, leaving the Browns to spend another season searching for answers at quarterback.
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