Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass. Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Browns Insider Discloses Stunning Deshaun Watson Update

Originally posted on Cleveland Browns on SI
By Matthew Schmidt | Last updated Aug 14, 2025 11:17 AM ET

The Deshaun Watson era has widely been assumed to be over for the Cleveland Browns following the quarterback tearing his Achilles not once, but twice over three months between last October and January. The chances of Watson playing in 2025 seemed slim to none, and the Browns were obviously prepared to move on from him, anyway.

But is there a chance that Watson could actually step on the field for Cleveland this coming season?

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com isn't entirely ruling it out, revealing that she wouldn't be shocked if Watson played this year during a recent appearance on 92.3 the Fan.

“This is such a strange quarterback year that nothing would shock me," Cabot said. "... We all have to stay tuned for that. Will they ever allow him to set foot on the field for them again? I don’t really know. But he is certainly determined. And the Browns, every time they talk about Deshaun Watson nowadays, it’s in glowing terms about what he’s doing inside that building, how he is mentoring the younger guys, his attitude, his work ethic. So he’s in good standing with the club right now, and I think that anything can happen."

Deshaun Watson couldn't possibly play for the Browns again, right?

This would be absolutely wild. The Browns currently have a four-man quarterback competition ongoing in training camp, and the idea of Watson still potentially emerging as a serious option at some point during the season is enough to make your head spin.

Cleveland initially acquired Watson in an infamous March 2022 trade in which the Browns sent a wealth of draft picks to the Houston Texans in exchange. They then signed Watson to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract that runs through 2026.

Cleveland added veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett this offseason while also selecting Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the NFL Draft. You would then think that Watson would be an afterthought for the organization, but apparently, he might still have a chance.

The 29-year-old has played in a grand total of 19 games since joining the Browns, throwing 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while completing 61.2 percent of his passes throughout that span. Cleveland has gone 9-10 in his starts.

This article first appeared on Cleveland Browns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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