Browns Make Deshaun Watson Decision Ahead of Jets Game
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will have to wait at least another week before being cleared to practice.
Watson continues to work his way back from a twice-ruptured Achilles. He suffered the initial injury in October of last year and experienced a setback in January that required a second surgery.
Watson has been sharing videos of his rehab progress and appears to be making steady strides. The plan was for him to undergo testing during the Browns’ bye week to determine if he was ready to return to practice. However, head coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that Watson will remain on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list for at least another week.
“Yeah, I don’t believe that’s happening this week,” Stefanski said. “No update, but doing a good job.”
Once Watson is cleared to practice, the Browns will have 21 days to decide whether to activate him to the 53-man roster. If Cleveland determines after that window that he’s still not ready, Watson would remain on the PUP list for the rest of the season.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Unlikely to See Field
Watson is eager to prove he can still perform at a high level. However, that opportunity is unlikely to come with the Browns, despite having two seasons left on his fully guaranteed $230 million contract he signed in 2022.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam called the blockbuster trade for Watson a “swing and miss” during the offseason. Haslam recently referred to the failed move as a “tough break” for the franchise and head coach Kevin Stefanski.
The one thing working in Watson’s favor is that the Browns’ quarterback situation remains unresolved. Dillon Gabriel is the starter but has done little to show he’s a potential long-term option. Backup and fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders is likely to get the next shot. The other option the Browns have on the roster is Bailey Zappe, who is currently on the practice squad.
Browns beat reporter Zac Jackson of The Athletic does not believe Watson will see the field this season.
“It’s probably more than a couple of weeks. And even when they decide he can open his practice window, it’s still 21 days. And even if they decide he’s fully cleared and ready to go, putting him on the 53 doesn’t mean he has to play,” Jackson said on 92.3 The Fan. “I’m very strongly in the camp that he won’t play. I understand the window is open, the door is open, all of those things. We’re talking about availability windows not Super Bowl windows. It is far, far, far from a guarantee or even a probability that Deshaun Watson will play. It’s lingering but I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Making Impact Despite Injury
Watson has not been able to practice but he has been making his impact felt, serving as a mentor for the young QB room in Cleveland.
“Deshaun (Watson) is in there each and every day, and they bounce things off of Deshaun, about all kinds of things – football and offense, defense, quarterbacking-related,” Browns quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave said. “You can sense I enjoy being in that room with those guys and being associated with them.”
Watson turned 30 in September but believes he can produce as a starting quarterback in the NFL.
“Yeah, he’s definitely been through a lot,” Musgrave said. “I know he wants to play a lot of football again. He feels like he’s got a lot of tread left on his tires.”
The Browns will look to get their season back on track as they face the one-win New York Jets on Sunday.
Saints' Trade Deadline Plans Could Include Moving Spencer Rattler
The New Orleans Saints lost Derek Carr to retirement during the offseason, which left them with a massive hole at the quarterback position for this season. After a quarterback battle, the Saints opted to start Spencer Rattler to begin the season as rookie signal caller Tyler Shough was thrown on the bench.
After a few weeks with Rattler at the helm, the Saints opted to bench him in favor of Shough. Rattler wasn't bad in his time as the Saints starter, but they have nothing to lose at this point, so starting Shough isn't a bad idea. But what does that mean for Rattler?
John Sigler of Saints Wire recently suggested the Saints could look to move on from Rattler in a trade ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline. Sigler listed Rattler as somebody "on the trade block" for the Saints.
Spencer Rattler could be a last-minute trade candidate for the Saints
"one of these guys would clear waivers if the Saints let them go, so it's worth fielding calls to see just how highly-valued they are by those on the outside looking in," Sigler wrote. "If the Saints could get a better pick than they used to draft one of them, it's definitely worth considering. But that doesn't mean we're necessarily shopping them. Rattler has value as a backup with experience starting games.
"Until the Saints know what they have in Shough or they have invested in a surefire starter, he's worth keeping in the quarterbacks room. Ford is a good special teamer. Boyd has unfulfilled potential, so it's kind of a mystery why he's a healthy scratch most weeks."
Trading Rattler wouldn't be a bad idea if the Saints were to get some attention for the star. Shough is seemingly the starter for the rest of the season, and the Saints will likely draft another quarterback at the top of the first round in the 2026 NFL Draft. This means either Shough or Rattler will be out of a job as the backup next season and all signs point to it being Rattler who's the odd man out.
It's unclear if the Saints will get any trade interest in Rattler, but if they do, there's a good chance they pull the trigger on a deal.
