Deshaun Watson

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• Browns' Deshaun Watson: First QB through drills

  13D ago • By RotoWire

  Watson was the first QB through the rotation at Wednesday's practice, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal reports. Watson took the first snap in individual drills and 7-on-7s, but Shedeur Sanders then went first in 11-on-11s, per Zac Jackson of The Athletic. The two split first-team snaps for the rest of the session, with Watson then taking over at the end for a hurry-up simulation. For individual drills, Sanders was second through the rotation, with Dillon Gabriel going third and Taylen Green predictably last. It's more or less what was expected, given that Watson has 72 NFL starts to his name and is competing with a trio of mid-round picks from the past two drafts. What's less clear is if the initial position means anything beyond deference to age/experience. Browns head coach Todd Monken seems to take Sanders seriously as a candidate for the starting job, and it wouldn't be surprising to see Gabriel (or even Green) take some first-team reps as well.

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• Browns' Deshaun Watson: Monken says no leader in QB battle

  29D ago • By RotoWire

  Head coach Todd Monken said Friday that a leader has yet to emerge in the quarterback competition between Watson and Shedeur Sanders, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports. Watson and Sanders rotated first-team opportunities during Cleveland's three-day voluntary minicamp, with Watson usually first in line for drills but Sanders taking more total reps. Monken has maintained that he would like to name a starting quarterback before the Browns open training camp in late July, but the coach said that it's too early in the process to make that decision at this point.

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• Browns' Deshaun Watson: May have inside track for QB1

  04/29/2026 • By RotoWire

  Watson reportedly emerged from last week's voluntary minicamp with an edge over Shedeur Sanders in the Browns' quarterback competition, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The report notes that coach Todd Monken hopes to identify the team's starter by the end of Browns minicamp June 9-11, with Watson and Sanders viewed as the top two contenders for the role, while Dillon Gabriel and 2026 sixth-rounder Taylen Green are also in the mix to a lesser degree. Per Cabot, at this stage Watson --- who didn't see game action in 2025 due to an Achilles' injury -- appears to have the inside track to the assignment, but Sanders still has time to close the gap before Monken makes the call. In any case, the signal caller that ultimately gets the nod will be in line to helm a Cleveland passing offense that returns WRs Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman, as well as TE Harold Fannin, and is also set to welcome a pair of talented rookie wideouts in KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston.

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• Browns' Deshaun Watson: Freeing up cap space

  03/06/2026 • By RotoWire

  Watson (Achilles) agreed to terms Friday on a restructured contract with the Browns that converts a portion of his $80.71 million cap hit for the 2026 season into bonuses, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. Watson's restructure provides Cleveland with increased flexibility ahead of the start of the legal tampering period March 9. The 30-year-old quarterback is heading into the final year of the fully guaranteed five-year contract he inked with the Browns back in 2022, and Cabot reports that Watson is now back to full health after having undergone two surgeries to repair the right Achilles tendon he re-ruptured after the 2024 season. Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry recently named both Watson and Shedeur Sanders as candidates to compete for the team's starting quarterback job in 2026, per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.

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• Browns' Deshaun Watson: Not being activated this season

  12/23/2025 • By RotoWire

  Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Tuesday that the Browns will not activate Watson (Achilles) from the reserve/PUP list this season, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports. Watson tore his right Achilles tendon in October of last season, then subsequently re-ruptured the tendon and required another surgery Jan. 9. The veteran quarterback had made enough progress in his recovery for the Browns to clear him to practice Dec. 3, but Watson was always viewed as a longshot to be activated at any point in 2025. With his 21-day evaluation window officially coming to a close Tuesday, Watson wasn't reinstated and won't be eligible to practice with the team over the final two weeks of the season. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Cleveland is expected to keep Watson on the roster in 2026, the final year of his five-year, $230 million deal. Watson hasn't played in a game since Week 10 of the 2024 campaign, and it's unclear if the Browns will seriously consider him for a starting role if he's indeed on the team next season.

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