Skip to Main Content
Football
Football
ChevronDown

Deshaun Watson

#4 QB / Cleveland Browns / EXP: 10YRS Height: 6-3 Weight: 223 lb Age: 30 College: Clemson Bye 11
Rost
4%
Start
2%
QB Rank
31

  • by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

    Browns' Deshaun Watson: QB battle to heat up in camp

    Deshaun Watson's quarterback competition with Shedeur Sanders is expected to last throughout training camp and the preseason, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.Head coach Todd Monken hasn't shed much light on the state of Cleveland's QB battle, besides confirming that a starter will be named prior to Week 1. Watson and Sanders split first-team reps in spring practices, and that will likely remain the case throughout training camp, with both QBs expected to feature prominently in preseason play. The 30-year-old Watson has just one regular-season win since the start of the 2024 campaign.

  • by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

    Browns' Deshaun Watson: Starting QB decision not imminent

    Coach Todd Monken acknowledged Tuesday that he's unlikely to name either Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders as his starting quarterback by the conclusion of minicamp, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.Monken had hoped to have a better idea of the pecking order by then, but it looks like the competition will carry over into training camp. With that in mind, the new head coach said that Watson and Sanders have "both played well enough to earn out the right to compete to start." While Sanders took all the Cleveland Browns' first-team QB reps during Tuesday's practice, Watson will take them Wednesday, and on Thursday the two will split those reps.

  • by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

    Browns' Deshaun Watson: First QB through drills

    Deshaun Watson was the first QB through the rotation at Wednesday's practice, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.Watson took the first snap in individual drills and 7-on-7s, but Shedeur Sanders then went first in 11-on-11s, per Zac Jackson of The Athletic. The two split first-team snaps for the rest of the session, with Watson then taking over at the end for a hurry-up simulation. For individual drills, Sanders was second through the rotation, with Dillon Gabriel going third and Taylen Green predictably last. It's more or less what was expected, given that Watson has 72 NFL starts to his name and is competing with a trio of mid-round picks from the past two drafts. What's less clear is if the initial position means anything beyond deference to age/experience. Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken seems to take Sanders seriously as a candidate for the starting job, and it wouldn't be surprising to see Gabriel (or even Green) take some first-team reps as well.

  • by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

    Browns' Deshaun Watson: Monken says no leader in QB battle

    Head coach Todd Monken said Friday that a leader has yet to emerge in the quarterback competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.Watson and Sanders rotated first-team opportunities during Cleveland's three-day voluntary minicamp, with Watson usually first in line for drills but Sanders taking more total reps. Monken has maintained that he would like to name a starting quarterback before the Cleveland Browns open training camp in late July, but the coach said that it's too early in the process to make that decision at this point.

  • by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

    Browns' Deshaun Watson: May have inside track for QB1

    Deshaun Watson reportedly emerged from last week's voluntary minicamp with an edge over Shedeur Sanders in the Cleveland Browns' quarterback competition, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.The report notes that coach Todd Monken hopes to identify the team's starter by the end of Browns minicamp June 9-11, with Watson and Sanders viewed as the top two contenders for the role, while Dillon Gabriel and 2026 sixth-rounder Taylen Green are also in the mix to a lesser degree. Per Cabot, at this stage Watson --- who didn't see game action in 2025 due to an Achilles' injury -- appears to have the inside track to the assignment, but Sanders still has time to close the gap before Monken makes the call. In any case, the signal caller that ultimately gets the nod will be in line to helm a Cleveland passing offense that returns WRs Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman, as well as TE Harold Fannin, and is also set to welcome a pair of talented rookie wideouts in KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston.

  • by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

    Browns' Deshaun Watson: Firmly in mix for starting gig

    Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said Monday at the NFL owners' meetings that Deshaun Watson (Achilles) has a "great chance" to compete for the team's No. 1 quarterback job this season, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.Haslam called this offseason a "fresh start" for Watson, who last saw NFL action October 2024 before suffering a torn Achilles tendon. The 30-year-old re-ruptured the same tendon in January 2025 and missed all of last season. Watson is heading into the final year of the five-year, $230 million deal he inked in 2022, and in early March he agreed to restructure his contract to clear roughly $35 million in cap space. Barring any additions to the QB room, Watson's main competition will be Shedeur Sanders, with Dillon Gabriel also on the depth chart. Watson is presumably now healthy, as the Browns opened his 21-day practice window in December and allowed him to practice in a limited capacity. Per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Haslam said Watson will be present for the start of voluntary workouts April 7.

  • by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

    Browns' Deshaun Watson: Freeing up cap space

    Deshaun Watson (Achilles) agreed to terms Friday on a restructured contract with the Cleveland Browns that converts a portion of his $80.71 million cap hit for the 2026 season into bonuses, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.Watson's restructure provides Cleveland with increased flexibility ahead of the start of the legal tampering period March 9. The 30-year-old quarterback is heading into the final year of the fully guaranteed five-year contract he inked with the Browns back in 2022, and Cabot reports that Watson is now back to full health after having undergone two surgeries to repair the right Achilles tendon he re-ruptured after the 2024 season. Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry recently named both Watson and Shedeur Sanders as candidates to compete for the team's starting quarterback job in 2026, per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.

  • by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

    Browns' Deshaun Watson: Among starter candidates

    Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry is not committing to naming a starting quarterback but included Deshaun Watson (ankle) as a candidate, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.Berry indicated Watson and Shedeur Sanders will be among those competing for the starting quartebrack job. There are likely to be other names in the mix, whether that be via trade, free agency or the draft. Neither Berry nor new head coach Todd Monken are in a rush to provide details.

  • by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

    Browns' Deshaun Watson: Not being activated this season

    Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Tuesday that the Browns will not activate Deshaun Watson (Achilles) from the reserve/PUP list this season, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.Watson tore his right Achilles tendon in October of last season, then subsequently re-ruptured the tendon and required another surgery Jan. 9. The veteran quarterback had made enough progress in his recovery for the Browns to clear him to practice Dec. 3, but Watson was always viewed as a longshot to be activated at any point in 2025. With his 21-day evaluation window officially coming to a close Tuesday, Watson wasn't reinstated and won't be eligible to practice with the team over the final two weeks of the season. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Cleveland is expected to keep Watson on the roster in 2026, the final year of his five-year, $230 million deal. Watson hasn't played in a game since Week 10 of the 2024 campaign, and it's unclear if the Browns will seriously consider him for a starting role if he's indeed on the team next season.

  • by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

    Browns' Deshaun Watson: Roster decision coming next week

    Deshaun Watson (Achilles) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Bills, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.Per Oyefusi, coach Kevin Stefanski said the Cleveland Browns will make a decision on whether to add Watson back to the active roster prior to the team's Week 17 game against Pittsburgh. An official transaction activating Watson from the reserve/PUP list will have to be made by next Tuesday, or Watson will be ineligible to play this season. Shedeur Sanders will start Sunday against the Bills.

Around the Web Promoted by Taboola