Deshaun Watson has not played since he hurt his shoulder during the Cleveland Browns’ Week 3 win over the Tennessee Titans, and the latest update the quarterback provided will not give fans much reason for optimism.
Watson once again did not practice on Wednesday. He spoke with reporters about his shoulder injury and described it as a micro-tear. While Watson did not completely rule out playing against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, he did make one troubling admission.
When asked if he believes he will be fully healthy at any point this season, Watson said he is unsure.
“I’m not sure,” he said. “This is my first time dealing with a rotator cuff, so I’m just trying to get as comfortable as I possibly can to go out there and perform at the level I know I can.”
Deshaun Watson on whether he can be 100% this season:
“I'm not sure," he said. "This is my first time dealing with a rotator cuff, so I'm just trying to get as comfortable as I possibly can to go out there and perform at the level I know I can."
— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) October 18, 2023
Watson’s injury is one that may take anywhere from 2-6 weeks to heal. He was supposedly ready to play in Week 4 against the Baltimore Ravens but did not feel right before the game. He said Wednesday that he does not want to “put the team in jeopardy” by playing before he is ready.
The Browns traded for Watson and signed him to a fully guaranteed $230 million contract last offseason. He played in just six games last year and has played in only three this season, throwing for 678 yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.
PJ Walker started for the Browns in their 19-17 upset win over the San Francisco 49ers last week. He did not play well and threw two interceptions, but Cleveland’s defense carried the team to a big win.
