Deshaun Watson’s future as the Browns’ quarterback is more uncertain.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry said Monday that Watson suffered a setback in his recovery from an Achilles tendon rupture, and the team doesn’t know if or when he’ll be available in 2025.
“We’ll know more in the next couple days or weeks, Berry said.
Watson has only played in 19 games since signing a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract with the Browns in 2022. The deal has been a collective failure as Watson hasn’t played well when he’s been healthy.
Berry opened his season wrap-up news conference with the unexpected update on Watson, who made just seven starts this season as the Browns (3-14) stumbled after making the playoffs a year ago.
Berry said the Browns only learned about Watson’s new medical situation during player exit meetings on Sunday, when the 29-year-old brought it up to team doctors. Berry emphasized it’s too early to know what it means to Watson and the team going forward. It’s not yet known if surgery will be necessary.
Watson had his Achilles repaired on Oct. 25. He has been splitting time in Ohio and Florida during his recovery.
Berry said the team should know more on Watson in the coming days. The Browns recently restructured the 29-year-old’s contract to get future salary-cap relief and flexibility.
Watson went 1-6 as a starter this season before injuring his Achilles on Oct. 20 against the Bengals. He was among the NFL’s lowest rated QBs at the time and his injury led to the Browns starting three more quarterbacks after playing five in 2023. Last season, Watson suffered a season-ending injury to his right throwing shoulder and underwent major surgery.
The Browns thought they ended their long search for a franchise QB when they signed Watson, who was a three-time Pro Bowler with the Texans. But injuries and his sub-par play have put the team in the same spot it was in three years ago.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson is the only quarterback under contract next season. Jameis Winston signed a one-year deal as a free agent with the Browns and could be an option. Winston sparked a stagnant offense after Watson got hurt — he passed for 497 yards in a road loss to the Broncos — but wound up being benched after throwing eight interceptions in a three-game span.
Playoff-bound Packers lose WR: Packers wide receiver Christian Watson has a torn ACL in his right knee and he won’t be available for any of the postseason.
Coach Matt LaFleur confirmed the severity of Watson’s injury Monday, one day after the 2022 second-round pick from North Dakota State was carted into the locker room in the first half of a 24-22 loss to the Bears.
The injury leaves the Packers (11-6) without their top deep threat as they go on the road to face the NFC East champion Eagles (14-3) in the wild-card round Sunday. Watson had 29 catches for 620 yards and two touchdowns this season.
“I hurt for him,” LaFleur said. “Obviously I hurt for our team, but more for him just because I know how much he’s put into this thing, just like all our guys. You never want to see that.”
LaFleur also said he wasn’t sure whether quarterbacks Jordan Love and Malik Willis would face any limitations in practice this week.
Love left the Bears game with what the team described as an elbow injury, and he said afterward that he’d lost feeling in his throwing hand but should be fine for the Eagles game. Love noted that he took some warmup passes late in the game when Willis was dealing with a hand issue.
“I talked to both of those guys,” LaFleur said. “They seem to be doing alright.”