Deshaun Watson: Everything you need to know

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said Monday at the NFL owners' meetings that Watson (Achilles) has a "great chance" to compete for the team's No. 1 quarterback job this offseason, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports. Haslam called this offseason a "fresh start" for Watson, who last suited up for NFL action in October of 2024 when he suffered a torn Achilles tendon. The 30-year-old then re-ruptured the same tendon in January of 2025 and subsequentially missed all of last season. Watson is now heading into the final year of the five-year, $230 million deal he inked with Cleveland in 2022, and in early March he agreed to restructure his contract to clear up roughly $35 million in cap space. Barring any further additions to the QB room, Watson's main competition will be a Shedeur Sanders, who started the final seven games of 2025, though Dillon Gabriel also remains in house. Watson is presumably now healthy, as the Browns opened his 21-day practice window in December and allowed him to practice in a limited capacity, though he did revert to the PUP list. Per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Haslam said Watson will be present for the start of voluntary workouts April 7 and begin working with new head coach Todd Monken.

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.

Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry is not comitting to naming a starter quarterback but included Watson (ankle) as a candidate, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports. Berry indicated Watson and Shedeur Sanders will be among those competing for the starting quartebrack job. There are likely to be other names in the mix, whether that be via trade, free agency or the draft. Neither Berry nor new head coach Todd Monken are in a rush to provide details.