The Cleveland Browns entered the 2024 season with high hopes for Deshaun Watson after making him one of the highest-paid quarterback in the league. However, he not only looked to be the worst quarterback in the entire league but also suffered a season-ending injury, which put his participation in the 2025 season in jeopardy.
While the Browns selected two rookies in the 2025 NFL Draft and also have Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco on the roster, Watson hasn’t been cut, nor has he been ruled out. And according to recent reports, there’s been some significant progress in his recovery, but still not enough to guarantee his participation in the 2025 season.
Deshaun Watson Throwing to Cleveland Browns Receivers
Watson initially suffered a ruptured Achilles in Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals and then tore it again in less than three months, putting his entire 2025 season in jeopardy. However, he has been attending the offseason programs but has kept a low profile physically.
This version of Watson is a stark contrast to last season, when he drew internal criticism for choosing to rehab in Miami during a brutal 3-14 campaign. Now, back in Cleveland, he has not only been doing some basic practices but also leaned into a leadership role, offering playbook knowledge and emotional support alike to Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
According to Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot, Watson has been “throwing inside the building to receivers such as Jerry Jeudy and David Bell since last month without his walking boot.” That’s some serious progress from the man Browns owner Jimmy Haslam dubbed as a “big swing and a miss.”
While one league source speculated Watson could return to practice by October, Cabot reported the team was in no rush to open his recovery window, and he could even miss the entirety of the 2025 season. However, the Browns haven’t ruled him out for the season yet, which could be a case of not discouraging the veteran, given the work he has been putting in.
In the meantime, Watson has become a guiding figure for the Browns’ four-way quarterback competition featuring Flacco, Pickett, Gabriel, and Sanders. He’s been particularly invested in the development of the two rookies and has discussed the offensive schemes with them.
🚨NEWS: #Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has been MENTORING young rookie QB Shedeur Sanders since coming to Cleveland.
Watson has reportedly taken Sanders under his wing, and the two have spent a lot of time together. pic.twitter.com/jGbiloO72y
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) July 1, 2025
Cabot further reported that Watson had taken Sanders “under his wing to help him come up the learning curve quickly, and it’s been working.” Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion͏ Sanders, Shedeur’s father, previously supported Watson publicly after fans cheered during his Achilles injury last October, and Watson is repaying the favor now.
It’s worth noting that the Browns would have very likely cut Watson had it not been for the staggering $80 million in dead money. Even in the case of a post-June 1 designation in 2026, Cleveland will still have $34.7 million in dead money, making it very difficult to move from the veteran.