Getty Quarterback Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns.
The latest news on Deshaun Watson’s shoulder could keep the Cleveland Browns starter sidelined for the foreseeable future.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported via Instagram on Tuesday, October 24, that Watson could miss between four and six weeks based on the nature of his newest shoulder injury.
“Some clarity on Deshaun Watson’s injury: doctors told him that he has a strain of the subscapularis within the rotator cuff and he continues to have both pain and weakness with movement,” Schefter wrote. “This type of injury normally causes pitchers to miss 4-6 weeks. Watson continues to work to regain strength and velocity in his shoulder and shorten that window.”
On Wednesday, head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed that Watson will miss the team’s upcoming contest with the Seattle Seahawks.
“Deshaun’s going to focus on his rehab. I just feel like with what happened in the game landing on his shoulder, there’s residual swelling that’s affecting his throwing,” Stefanski said. “I think it’s the best thing for him to rest this week and focus on the rehab.”
Kevin Stefanski, Deshaun Watson Contradicted One Another on QB’s Absence vs. Colts
GettyHead coach Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns.
Stefanski pulled Watson from last weekend’s game against the Indianapolis Colts after just five passes because the QB suffered a possible head injury. Watson cleared concussion protocol, but Stefanski still chose to keep him sidelined for the remainder of the game.
Following the Browns’ one-point victory, Stefanski intimated that concern over Watson’s head was the motivating factor behind his decision.
“My job is to make tough decisions,” Stefanski told reporters October 22. “I did not want to see him get hit. He was hit hard, and I know he cleared [concussion protocol], but I just thought, ‘I’ve got to protect him.'”
Watson, however, said further injury to his shoulder was the prevailing reason for his absence from the remainder of the contest.
“The head thing caught me off-guard,” Watson said Sunday. “I didn’t know [the coaches were pulling me off] for the concussion until I got in the tent. I wasn’t even worried about the head. It was mostly the shoulder.”
Bill Simmons of The Ringer accused Stefanski and the Browns of being dishonest about Watson’s injury ahead of the game against the Colts. Now, with the contest in the books, Cleveland’s head coach and quarterback are making contradictory statements to the media.
Watson missed two games after suffering a contusion to the rotator cuff in question during the team’s Week 3 contest against the Tennessee Titans. Cleveland also had a bye week over that span, which allowed Watson three weekends off and nearly four full weeks to recover between starts.
Browns Must Consider Trade to Upgrade at Quarterback
GettyQuarterback Jacoby Brissett of the Washington Commanders runs onto the field prior to an NFL game against the Atlanta Falcons in October 2023.
Unfortunately for Browns fans, Watson didn’t look good against Indianapolis even before suffering an early knockout blow. He completed just 1-of-5 passes for 5 yards and an interception, per Pro Football Reference.
If the team ultimately designates Watson to the injured reserve list (IR), he will miss at least the next four games. Those include contests at the Seahawks, against the Arizona Cardinals, at the Baltimore Ravens and at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Every team in that lineup is at least two games over .500, save for the Cardinals who have a record of 1-6.
Backup QB, and former third-stringer, P.J. Walker has played in Watson’s stead over the past two weeks and will likely continue to do so for as long as Watson is sidelined — unless the franchise decides to deal for a new signal-caller ahead of the NFL’s October 31 trade deadline.
Former Browns starter Jacoby Brissett, the current backup QB of the Washington Commanders, is a potential option if Cleveland decides to pursue a move under center over the next week. If Watson’s injury progresses to the point of landing him on IR, the Browns may need to consider Brissett or some other QB they can acquire via a trade or free agency considering the quality of Walker’s play over the past two weeks.
P.J. Walker Worst QB in NFL During 2023 Season
GettyQuarterback P.J. Walker of the Cleveland Browns has struggled mightily over the team’s last two games.
Walker is 33-of-66 passing (50%) for 370 yards and 3 interceptions over the course of the last two games. He has a rating of 48.2 and a QBR of 23.4 while averaging just 5.6 yards per pass attempt, which is well below the modern standard for a serviceable offense.
Cleveland can’t risk wasting what was a historic defense through the first five games of the season, and at 2-4 the franchise has a little breathing room. However, playing .500 football over the next month could be a challenge if Walker can’t improve.
The Browns rolled with Dorian Thompson-Robinson for one game in Week 4 against the Baltimore Ravens. That he has remained benched through Walker’s struggles says a lot about how game-ready the coaching staff believes the rookie to be just a handful of games into his career.
If Thompson-Robinson isn’t ready to play, Walker is the Browns’ best option to fill in for Watson. Pro Football Focus slots Walker 35th out of 35 quarterbacks who have played enough snaps this season to qualify for a ranking. Cleveland has spent huge on this roster and owes its defense and its fans a better quarterback than the one playing worse than every one of his peers in 2023.