The Houston Texans got out of the Deshaun Watson business following the 2021 season, and their decision continues to look better as more time passes.
Despite putting his off-field issues behind him, Watson has still battled injuries with the Cleveland Browns, which has limited him to 19 games over the past four seasons. He has also not performed well when on the field in that time.
That has left Watson facing a potentially dire situation as he tries to jumpstart his career.
Former Texans QB Deshaun Watson Continuing Previous Trend
GettyDeshaun Watson’s post-Houston Texans career continues to face uncertainty.
One thing that Watson can say for certain is that he has been consistent, and the former Texans star has extended that to his Browns teammates, linking with several before training camp.
“Browns QB Deshaun Watson working with WRs KC Concepcion, Luke Floriea, and more during the offseason sessions in Berea [fire emojis],” ESPN Cleveland posted on X on July 11, including a highlight reel of the sessions.
Unfortunately for Watson, there is an increasing sense that his efforts will be for not.
Moreover, all of his time off the field may have allowed second-year QB Sheduer Sanders to progress enough to retain the starting status he held to end the 2025 season.
That would be a significant blow, since Watson could realistically go more than two years between playing in a meaningful game. Such a gap could make even a strong preseason showing too little, too late for a team to take a chance on him in 2027.
Moving into a backup role is difficult to overcome for veteran QBs.
Deshaun Watson Predicted to Lose Browns QB Battle
GettySheduer Sanders could beat out Deshaun Watson in Cleveland.
Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon made the “bold prediction” that Sanders would win the starting job, citing Watson’s layoff as part of why he believes the former Texans starter will “blow” what could be his “last attempt at salvaging his career” in Cleveland.
Gagnon also noted reports that Watson was inconsistent during the Browns’ offseason program.
That was as Browns head coach Todd Monken lauded Sanders, a fifth-round pick from the 2025 draft, for his progress.
“It’s just going to be too hard for Watson to suddenly revive his career after so much time off the pedestal, and Sanders has the tools to become something awesome in this league,” Gagnon wrote on July 10. “I’m not convinced he’ll put it all together, but I believe he’ll make it impossible this summer for the Browns to turn away from his high ceiling.”
Deshaun Watson on ‘Hot Seat’
GettyDeshaun Watson has a lot to prove in training camp.
The Browns invested heavily in Watson, and his fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract is a big reason why he remains in Cleveland. However, they have only compounded an issue the Texans avoided with Watson, leaving him on their books through 2030.
Despite that commitment, Watson remains on the “hot seat,” per USA Today.
“Watson isn’t even guaranteed to open the season as Cleveland’s starter. He’s in a battle with Shedeur Sanders for that role, and even if the 30-year-old veteran wins the job out of the gate, it figures to switch hands frequently unless either signal-caller can enjoy a breakout season,” USA Today’s Jacob Camenker wrote on July 9.
“Barring a return to his 2020 form, it’s hard to imagine Cleveland re-upping with him given how disastrous that deal has been.”
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