CLEVELAND, Ohio — Deshaun Watson continues to make excellent progress in his comeback from a re-ruptured Achilles, but the Browns aren’t opening his 21-day practice window this week, a league source tells cleveland.com.
On Monday, Kevin Stefanski didn’t immediately dismiss it as a possibility, saying, “I’m not sure if that’s what we’re doing.”
But the Browns will wait at least until least Week 12 against the Raiders to designate Watson for return from reserve/Physically Unable to Perform. They expect to have more clarity on his timeframe over the next couple of weeks.
The Browns must be judicious on when they open the practice window, because they’ll have to activate him to the 53-man roster during that three-week span or he reverts to reserve/PUP for the remainder of the season.
Watson, who’s under contract with the Browns through next season, must first pass his medical exams before being permitted to practice. Once he’s cleared, the Browns must be reasonably sure he’ll be ready for action before they open the window.
As of now, he’s attending all meetings, helping to mentor the young quarterbacks and working out hard behind the scenes.
Quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave revealed on Oct. 24, the week before the 32-13 loss to the Patriots, what Watson has been doing in his rehab.
“I see him in the weight room all the time doing box jumps and doing all the exercises, things that they put them through before his Achilles,” Musgrave said. “And then he’s out throwing some passes. I know at times when we’re meeting or when we’re doing other stuff during the afternoon, he seems like he’s working like crazy.”
Is it intriguing to wonder what he could possibly have left after surgeries to repair his fractured shoulder and the Achilles twice? The most recent surgery was Jan. 10 to re-do the Achilles from last season’s lost to the Bengals on Oct. 20 at Huntington Bank Field.
“Yeah, he’s definitely been through a lot (with the surgeries),” Musgrave said. “I know he wants to play a lot of football again. He feels like he’s got a lot of tread left on his tires.”
Acquired in a trade with the Texans in 2022 for a net of five draft picks — including three first-rounders — Watson has gone 9-10 with the Browns after signing a blockbuster five-year extension worth $230 million guaranteed. It was the first fully-guaranteed deal in the history of the NFL, and made waves with other club owners.
Watson’s salary cap charge for 2025 is $35.978 million, and next season, it’s $80.716 million, although the latter will be reduced again through a restructure.
In March, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam described the Watson deal as “a big swing and a miss” but he’s remained on good terms with the three-time Pro Bowler, even attending his wedding in July to Jilly Anais.
For now, the 2-7 Browns are sticking with rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel (1-4) as they head into Sunday’s visit from 4-5 Ravens. Watson will likely be on the sidelines helping Gabriel, like he was for the victory over Miami Oct. 19.
“I like when those two birds converse, I like when they’re talking over there,” Musgrave said. “And I try to take myself out of the equation – I don’t need to be there hovering all over them … We miss him on the road. It’s great to have his presence on the sideline for our young group.”
In addition to Watson possibly being added to the roster at some point this season, the Browns have fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders waiting for his turn, and possibly in line to start at some point. Haslam said during training camp that the club “absolutely” wants to see both rookies play this season to help inform plans for their two first-round picks in the 2026 draft.
The Browns also have fourth-year pro Bailey Zappe on the practice squad.
Football Insider newsletter free trial: Take a minute and sign up for a free trial of our Football Insider newsletter, featuring exclusive content from cleveland.com's Browns reporters.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.