Browns Give Firm Statement on PJ Walker After Failed Trade

Getty Images Cleveland Browns QB PJ Walker with serve as Joe Flacco's backup on Sunday.

PJ Walker will remain the backup quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, despite some rough performances in relief of Deshaun Watson.

The Browns established their plan at quarterback on Wednesday, with head coach Kevin Stefanski laying out that Walker will be the option for the Browns if Watson is unable to go.

“P.J. remains the backup. Yes,” Stefanski said.

Walker has appeared in three games this season with a pair of starts. He’s passed for 618 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions.

Stefanski said that his non-committal statement on Walker earlier in the week was nothing it read into and he is simply making decisions based on what he’s presented each day.

There’s a chance that Stefanski was waiting for the October 31 trade deadline to pass before commenting on his quarterback situation. The Browns were looking at veteran quarterbacks, specifically Jacoby Brissett, who could come in and give the team a reliable insurance policy. However, the Browns’ offer for Brissett was turned down. It was reported that the Browns were seeking a second or third-round pick for Brissett and Cleveland’s best offer was a sixth-round pick.

The only deal the Browns made at the deadline was as a seller. Cleveland shipped off wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones to the Detroit Lions for a sixth-round pick in return. Ideally, the Browns could have flipped that pick into a backup quarterback. It just didn’t pan out.

Deshaun Watson Looks Sharp in Return to Practice

The Browns have established their depth but Watson’s status is still unknown. He practiced Wednesday with the rest of the team for the first time and appeared to have the zip back on his passes. Watson has been dealing with a rotator cuff strain that has sidelined him for the better part of the last four games.

Stefanski was not ready to lock in Watson’s status despite his return to the field.

“He’s making progress,” Stefanski said of Watson. “He’s working through it, working very hard, both in this building, out of this building, really, around the clock. So I think all of the time, all of the rehab continues to make a difference.”

Watson attempted to give it a go on October 22 against the Indianapolis Colts but lasted just a quarter. He was removed from the game after taking a hard hit, landing on his shoulder. Prior to leaving the game, Watson was just 1-of-5 for 5 yards with an interception.

Browns Rookie WR Cedric Tillman Expected to be More Involved

Following the trade of Peoples-Jones, there’s room for another wide receiver to get in the mix. The next man up appears to be Cedric Tillman, who the Browns drafted this year in the third round.

Tillman has been a healthy scratch for the last three games and has just one catch this season.

“It does open a pathway to getting Ced more involved,” Stefanski said. “I’ve seen it in games. I’ve seen it in practice, preseason games. It’s the reason we liked the kid when he was coming out. He’s big, physical, ball skills. So he’s been working very hard, have not to date been able to get him going. And a lot of that becomes roster-based on who’s available. And you can only bring so many to the game. But he’s remained very diligent, works hard at it.”

The Browns will face the 1-7 Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. The Cardinals have their own quarterback situation they’re sorting out. Former starter — and one-time Browns player — Joshua Dobbs was traded to the Minnesota Vikings. Rookie Clayton Tune will start if Kyler Murray is not ready for his first action of the season.