The future remains unclear for Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, but he continues to work his way back from his latest injury.
Watson is recovering from a second Achilles surgery after re-injuring it in January. The original rupture occurred during a game in October of last season, marking his second consecutive season-ending injury. The year before, he suffered a fractured shoulder that also cut his season short.
After suffering the initial Achilles injury, he spent much of his time in Miami rehabbing independently. There was some speculation that Watson hurt himself by doing something he shouldn’t have been doing. However, general manager Andrew Berry cleared up that rumor.
“Unfortunately, he turned his foot (or) ankle that caused the re-tear during the normal stages of the recovery process,” Berry said at the combine. “I know there’s been a lot of speculation and everything out there, but there’s nothing nefarious. It’s just an unfortunate accident. So our focus is on making sure that he gets healthy and can be back to normal.”
This time around, Watson appears to be set on spending more time at the facility as he works his way back. On Tuesday, he shared a video from the Browns’ facility on social media sporting his walking boot.
“At the end of the day, I’ve got to understand too like my name, my presence are actually bigger than what people see,” Watson said in the video.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson: ‘People Don’t Understand Me’
Watson also addressed some of the criticism he’s received in recent years. As the starter, he’s posted a 9-10 record, including a disappointing 1-6 mark this past season. Over that span, he has thrown for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
His struggles were evident before a season-ending Achilles injury, as the Browns’ offense failed to score more than 20 points in any game. Watson didn’t eclipse 200 passing yards in any of his seven starts last season.
“In a sense, you can’t take it personally,” he said. “I kind of learned that, but I think naturally we kind of do that as humans, trying to take other people’s opinions personally. It goes back to people don’t understand me, they don’t know. So when they don’t understand and know something, they kind of try to speak on it.”
Deshaun Watson Likely Done as Browns Starter
The Browns expect Watson to miss most of next season and the team is unclear when he will return. But even when healthy, Watson is unlikely to factor into the starting quarterback equation.
Cleveland has already traded for former first-round pick Kenny Pickett. The Browns are also shopping for other capable veterans, like Russell Wilson, who visited Cleveland last week.
Additionally, the Browns have the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. Cleveland could select a quarterback in that spot—either Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders, who are regarded as the top two passers in the draft.
Watson is under contract through the 2026 season and will continue to be a burden thanks to his $230 million, fully guaranteed contract. Despite the money the Browns are doling out, he’s still unlikely to get another shot as the starter in Cleveland.
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