Deshaun Watson is battling a shoulder injury and is questionable for the Cleveland Browns‘ Week 4 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
Watson is fresh off one of his best games as a member of the Browns, passing for 289 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 27-3 rout of the Tennessee Titans. He also completed 81.8% of his passes, the second-best mark of his career.
With running back Nick Chubb sidelined for the season, Watson is the focal point of the Browns’ offense. If he sits out, the Browns would be in a tough spot, although Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh pointed out that the Ravens’ preparation has been about the Browns as a whole.
“We’ll be prepared. But everything coming out of there is that Deshaun is going to play,” Harbaugh told reporters on Friday, September 29. “And we’re preparing for the Browns. It’s the schemes they run [on] all three phases. It’s not so much about any one player, ever.”
Browns Vague on Deshaun Watson’s Injury
The Browns are hopeful that Watson will play but have not provided much context when it comes to his injury. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported that Watson is dealing with a right shoulder contusion.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski was asked for an update on Watson and opted to go the NHL route, which leaves out specifics.
“Do I have to? What do they do in hockey?” Stefanski said on Friday. “Whatever it says on the injury report. I’ll go with that.”
Stefanski added that he doesn’t know if it’s the type of injury that could linger for Watson but he’s hopeful his QB will be ready to go.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson Ready if Browns Call His Number
If Watson is unable to go, rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson would get the starting nod. Thompson-Robinson — a fifth-round pick — was the darling of the preseason, earning the No. 2 spot on the depth chart and proving to the Browns he was ready for the primary backup duty.
Thompson-Robinson has been getting the lion’s share of work with the first-team offense during the week. Watson has been limited for the majority of the week during practice.
“It helped tremendously,” Thompson-Robinson said, per Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal. “I’ve never gotten reps with the ones, so to be able to get a feel for those guys, their speed, their routes has definitely been huge for me this week. And being able to iron out some of those wrinkles for if I do get in on Sunday, before that gets there.”
Thompson-Robinson isn’t a typical rookie. He has a wealth of starting experience from his college days at UCLA, starting 48 games with the Bruins. In his final year, Thompson-Robinson completed 69.6 percent of his passes for 3,169 yards and 27 touchdowns, adding 12 scores on the ground.
“I’m extremely confident, extremely ready for Sunday if my name is called, which I am every week and really every day, ever since I first got here,” Thompson-Robinson said. “I’ve been taking all the reps behind the scenes. So I’ve been trying to prepare Deshaun as much as possible and if I do get my opportunity, it’ll for sure pay off.”
The Browns are a 2.5-point favorite for the matchup, although that line would likely swing in the Ravens’ favor if Watson is out.
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Ravens Send Message on Browns QB Deshaun Watson Amid Injury News