Browns owner gives optimistic outlook for injury-riddled Deshaun Watson

Deshaun Watson’s tenure with the Cleveland Browns has been 1 to forget.

The Browns acquired Watson from the Houston Texans earlier the 2022 play and signed him to a five-year, $230 cardinal deal, marking the richest woody for a backmost astatine the time. But his deficiency of availability owed to injuries and his play connected the tract person forced the enactment to restructure his deal.

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Cleveland Browns backmost Deshaun Watson watches connected the sidelines against the Las Vegas Raiders successful the 2nd fractional astatine Allegiant Stadium connected Nov. 23, 2025.  (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

He’s lone played 19 games for the Browns implicit his archetypal 4 seasons, portion Cleveland has trotted retired aggregate quarterbacks, including Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders and others to effort to find a impermanent hole to a semipermanent problem.

Still, Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam has an optimistic outlook for Watson.

"Deshaun has a large chance, caller start, offensive-minded coach, who has successful his past been capable to enactment with each kinds of antithetic quarterbacks and marque them successful," helium told reporters astatine the NFL yearly gathering connected Monday, via ESPN.

Cleveland Browns backmost Deshaun Watson (4) works retired during mini campy astatine CrossCountry Mortgage Campus connected June 12, 2025.  (Ken Blaze/Imagn Images)

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"So, Deshaun has a large accidental to bash that now. We talked to him the different day, helium said helium weighs the (least) helium has successful respective years. He's successful large shape, he'll beryllium (in Cleveland) connected April 7 erstwhile we commencement (the offseason workout program). Let's spot what Deshaun tin do. We're each excited."

Browns wide manager Andrew Berry antecedently said that each Browns backmost connected the roster volition vie for the starting job. Right now, the extent illustration includes Watson, Sanders and Gabriel. It’s unclear if Cleveland would people different backmost successful the upcoming draft.

Watson missed the full 2025 play aft helium re-ruptured his Achilles successful the offseason that year.

Cleveland Browns backmost Deshaun Watson (4) throws a walk during the archetypal 4th against the Cincinnati Bengals astatine Huntington Bank Field connected Oct. 20, 2024. (Ken Blaze/Imagn Images)

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He’s 9-10 arsenic a starter for Cleveland with 3,365 passing yards, 19 touchdown passes, 12 interceptions and 70 sacks.

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