Deshaun Watson Suffers Achilles ‘Setback’ And Browns Should Go QB Shopping

The hits keep on coming with Deshaun Watson for the Cleveland Browns.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry told reporters Monday morning that Watson has suffered a setback in his rehabilitation from his ruptured Achilles injury and ensuing surgery.

Watson Exit Physical Goes Poorly

The setback was discovered on Sunday during the team’s end-of-season exit physicals. Watson apparently told the Cleveland medical staff that something didn’t feel right.  

“Yesterday, as we went through our normal player medical process, we did learn that he did have a setback in his Achilles recovery. We don’t have all the details and everything yet. But it obviously extends the recovery process for him. It is new information, just learned in the past couple of hours. But I did make you all aware …”

A couple of things here:

Watson may require another surgery. That has not been fully determined but also has not been ruled out. And that could mean there would be further uncertainty about not only his availability for the entire 2025 NFL season but his ability to reach a high level of production upon return – which he has failed to do his three previous years in Cleveland.

Berry said the latest setback won’t have a huge impact on the team’s quarterback plans going forward.

“I wouldn’t say it has a significant impact,” Berry said, before adding, “The reality is that the room will look different next year.”

Time For Browns To Quarterback Shop

What?

The Browns have the No. 2 overall selection in the April draft. If they’re not thinking about quarterbacks in that draft and even with that first pick, something is amiss.

Even if the Browns are committed to Watson for 2025, which all indications have been that will be the case, his contract expires after the 2026 season.

The 2025 draft might be the best opportunity the team has to identify and select a high-pedigree successor to Watson.

Watson sustained his initial Achilles tear in the second quarter of their Week 7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He underwent surgery on the injury on Oct. 25.

Watson, 29, played only seven games for the Browns this season before suffering the injury.

This is the latest in what has been a steady stream of trouble Watson has encountered during his three seasons with the Browns.

CLEVELAND, OHIO – OCTOBER 20: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns reacts after being hit by Joseph Ossai #58 of the Cincinnati Bengals in the second quarter of a game at Huntington Bank Field on October 20, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

Deshaun Watson Stacks Bad News

Watson has played only 19 games over three seasons with the Browns. His 2022 season was shortened by an 11-game suspension for violating the NFL personal conduct policy in connection to the lawsuits and claims from more than two dozen women alleging sexual misconduct and even sexual assault during massage appointments.

The Browns knew about those and expected NFL sanctions for those before they gave up three first-round draft picks for Watson and then signed him to a fully-guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract, of which there’s still $92 million remaining. 

But what came next was a bitter disappointment.

Watson didn’t play well upon his return to the lineup in 2022. He threw 7 TD passes and 5 interceptions in six games. That was generally chalked up to rust after he missed the 2021 season in Houston.

Then came 2023 and, again, Watson was unable to fulfill the promise the Browns thought he had when they invested in him. He played only six games for the second consecutive season, as this time his play time was cut short primarily by a shoulder injury. 

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – FEBRUARY 28: General manager Andrew Berry of the Cleveland Browns speaks with the media during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 28, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

Watson Hasn’t Played Well

This season he was again knocked out of the lineup, this time by the Achilles injury. At least he played one more game than the previous two years. Progress!

The problem is Watson still wasn’t the star the Browns bargained for when he did play in 2024. He threw 5 TD passes and 3 interceptions and was sacked 1,203,532 times (perhaps a bit fewer) behind leaky pass protection. The team was 1-6 in the games he started.

So that leaves the Browns in a curious situation.

They really cannot get rid of Watson outright because of the enormous salary cap implications. Doing so could cripple the team’s cap structure.

But the Browns also cannot simply do nothing.

So they will collect more data, as Berry said.

And that is likely to include finding not just options but starting-caliber options at quarterback for the 2025 season.