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Browns QB Deshaun Watson suffers setback in recovery from Achilles injury
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- Browns QB Deshaun Watson suffers setback in recovery from Achilles injury
BEREA — Quarterback Deshaun Watson has had a setback in his recovery from Achilles tendon surgery, Browns general manager Andrew Berry announced Monday.
The Browns discovered the setback during their routine end-of-the-year exit interviews and medical reviews. Berry said they were still collecting details, including how the setback occurred, and only said that Watson raised "it to the docs that something didn't feel right and everything like that, and then we realized he had a setback."
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Berry said he wasn't sure yet if the setback would require more surgery. He did say they "can't rule anything out, but we'll know more in the next couple days and weeks."
Among the information that remains uncertain is the long-term impact for Watson's availability in the 2025 season.
"It's too early to tell," Berry said. "I don't have all the information. Obviously, in a situation like that, I don't want to — one thing I said I have learned from this year — I don't want to rule out anything with a major injury. We are still collecting all the information. Then obviously our focus is making sure that he can get as healthy as possible."
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is carted off the field after suffering an injury during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Huntington Bank Field, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Watson sustained the Achilles tear in the second quarter of a Week 7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 20. He underwent surgery on the injury on Oct. 25.
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When Watson sustained the injury, there were many in the crowd in Cleveland who either cheered the injury or booed Watson himself. It was only for a short period of time, but it was noticeable to the Browns players, many of whom, including defensive end Myles Garrett and quarterback Jameis Winston , spoke out about it afterward.
Watson, according to Berry, hasn't expressed a desire to go somewhere else. That's even as conversations about his future as the Browns starting quarterback have gotten louder.
"I'd say this, Deshaun is, No. 1, he's very focused on getting healthy for all the obvious reasons," Berry said. "That's the first thing that's top of mind. Deshaun's invested in being here. At no point has he given an indication in terms of not wanting to be here or leaving the city or anything along those lines. He's really focused on getting himself healthy and performing to a higher level."
Berry used Watson's health as a way to also sidestep a question regarding the team's belief in him as its starter going forward.
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"Yeah, I'll be honest, our focus with Deshaun, especially after yesterday is getting him healthy," he said. "And it really starts with that and making sure that he's physically right where he can play to the best of his ability when he is on the field, and that's really where our focus is with him."
The Browns were already expected to be in the quarterback market this offseason, likely for multiple quarterbacks. Winston will be a free agent, and Bailey Zappe , who started Saturday's finale in Baltimore , will be a restricted free agent.
"I wouldn't say that it has a significant impact" on the quarterback room, Berry said. "I think the reality of it is that room, it will look different next year. It may obviously impact what the room looks like as we enter the season or camp depending on the severity of the setback, but I wouldn't say that it had a significant impact."
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Dorian Thompson-Robinson , who's started five games and appeared in 15 games over two seasons, is the only other quarterback fully under contract for next season. That means the Browns will likely be looking for a quarterback who very well could be their opening-day starter.
There's also the fact the Browns have the No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft. That opens the door to take one of the top quarterbacks, Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Miami 's Cam Ward .
"I'd say that I think there's opportunity every offseason," Berry said. "I wouldn't necessarily constrain us to any one way of attacking, whether it's the quarterback position or any position across the roster. We've always prided ourselves on being opportunistic, and there are probably also opportunities that we don't see today that'll pop up over the next several months, so we'll be flexible in that regard."
Including the latest issue, the injury is just the most recent in what has been a steady stream of setbacks that have derailed Watson's time in Cleveland since the Browns acquired the quarterback from the Houston Texans in March 2022 for a package of picks anchored by their last three first-round picks. At the same time they also gave him a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract, of which there's still $92 million remaining.
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The Browns have restructured his contract before the last two seasons to help create salary cap space. They went through another one in the last two weeks that didn't create more cap space for the upcoming season, but was more about the dead money that would exist when the contract expires after the 2026 season, although Berry refused to discuss the restructuring when asked Monday.
"I think that to date the trade hasn't gone as we had hoped or anticipated, hasn't gone how Deshaun has hoped or anticipated," Berry said. "I think certainly a big part of it is the stop-start with availability and that we never have gotten consistent performance at that position. I think there's a variety of factors in that that's not just the quarterback. We all share in culpability with that."
Watson has played just 19 games over three seasons with the Browns. He was suspended 11 games in 2022 for NFL personal conduct policy violations in connection with more than two dozen lawsuits by women in the Houston area alleging sexual assault and/or sexual misconduct during massage appointments. He missed 11 games last season because of multiple shoulder injuries, including a broken glenoid that required surgery after a Week 10 win at the Baltimore Ravens .
This season, Watson started the first seven games, although looked like a shell of the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback he was in Houston. At the time of his season-ending injury in Week 7, Watson was 26th in passer rating (79) and touchdown percentage (2.3%), 25th in passing yards (1,148), tied for 25th in TD passes (five), 29th in yards per attempt (5.31) and had been sacked 33 times.
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(This story has been updated with new information.)
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns QB Deshaun Watson suffers setback in recovery from injury
