Watson Targets Browns QB Return
Deshaun Watson Declares Himself Fully Healthy, Seeks Browns Starting QB Job Amidst Competition
Key Points
Watson said he is not trying to “replicate the 2020 (season),” adding, “I’m a different person. I’m older. I’m more wise,” and said his focus is to be the “best product and player” he can be for Cleveland.
If Watson starts Cleveland’s season opener, Fox Sports reported it would be 693 days since his last start—his final game was Week 7 of 2024 vs. Cincinnati, when he ruptured his right Achilles in the second quarter on a draw play.
ESPN reported Watson said he is “fully healthy,” but also noted he “hasn't been 100% since first injuring his shoulder in the Browns' Week 3 game against the Titans in 2023,” following a shoulder surgery in November 2023.
Athlon Sports detailed Watson’s 2024 output before the Achilles injury: seven games, 1,148 passing yards, five touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 79 passer rating.
Cleveland 19 reported the minicamp appearance was Watson’s first time taking questions from Browns media in 616 days, and said he “still considers himself a starter,” noting he has started 72 of 73 NFL games in his career.
Deshaun Watson stepped in front of Cleveland Browns reporters for the first time in 616 days this week, declared himself
Watson is in an open fight for the starting job with second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Cleveland 19 reported the appearance was Watson's first media session in 616 days. If he starts the 2026 season opener, Fox Sports noted it will have been 693 days since his last NFL snap — a Week 7 start in 2024 against Cincinnati, where he tore his right Achilles on a draw play in the second quarter.
693 Days, Two Achilles Surgeries, One Job Opening
Watson's road back is unlike almost anything the NFL has seen. He hurt his shoulder in Week 3 of 2023 against the Titans. He had shoulder surgery in November 2023. Then, in October 2024, he tore his right Achilles. A second Achilles surgery followed in January 2025. ESPN reported Watson has not been fully healthy since that first shoulder injury in September 2023.
He missed the entire 2025 season. In total, Watson has played just 19 games for Cleveland since the team traded for him in 2022. His 2024 numbers before the injury — seven games, 1,148 passing yards, five touchdowns, three interceptions, a 79 passer rating — told the story of a quarterback well below his peak, Athlon Sports detailed.
Watson Says He Is 'Older, Wiser' — Not Chasing 2020
Watson pushed back on the idea that he needs to recreate his 2020 Houston Texans season, when he led the league in passing yards. "I'm a different person. I'm older. I'm more wise," he said. His stated goal is simple: be the "best product and player" he can be for Cleveland right now.
He also made clear he still sees himself as a starter. Cleveland 19 noted Watson has started 72 of his 73 career NFL games. "I still consider myself a starter," he said. He acknowledged public doubts but added he cannot control how people view his time in Cleveland — only how he performs going forward.
Sanders Pushes Watson, Monken Refuses to Pick a Winner
First-year head coach Todd Monken has not named a starter and says he will not do so coming out of minicamp. The competition will run through training camp and the preseason. Audacy reported that analyst Mary Kay Cabot said Sanders is "nipping at the heels" of Watson in the battle for the job.
Monken's offense is believed to favor quick decisions and mobility — areas where Watson has struggled since his injuries. Watson said he may be a better fit under Monken than he was under former coach Kevin Stefanski. But that argument has yet to be tested on a real field.
Haslam Called It a 'Big Swing and Miss' — The Contract Looms Anyway
Owner Jimmy Haslam did not hold back when sizing up the Watson era. He publicly called the 2022 trade and Watson's $230 million fully guaranteed contract a "big swing and miss." That kind of statement from an owner is rare. It signals the organization no longer feels obligated to protect the investment with blind loyalty.
Still, the money is locked in. Watson is in the final year of his deal, and dead-cap charges from contract restructures will follow Cleveland for years either way. The Browns cannot undo the financial damage. What they can control is who takes the first snap in 2026 — and right now, that question has no answer.
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