NFL source revealed Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson may have been hit with a blessing in disguise for his career
Deshaun Watson is the leader in the clubhouse to be the Cleveland Browns starting quarterback. An ESPN insider revealed the feeling around Watson coming back from his injury.
OTAs are off and running this week for the Cleveland Browns and they are just a few weeks away from mandatory minicamp. When the mandatory days are here, all eyes will be on the quarterback position.
Cleveland has Deshaun Watson back and healthy — he’s the favorite to be the starting quarterback. Shedeur Sanders is the biggest challenger in his second season, while Dillon Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green round out the room.
Watson being healthy is the biggest part of the puzzle for him getting back on the field for the Browns. After missing all of the 2025 season, there’s a feeling that the reset may have been just what he needed.
ESPN source feels good about Deshaun Watson’s 2025 season away from football
“A source close to Watson said sitting out last season was ‘the best thing that could’ve happened to him. He wasn’t rushed back onto the field, and he had time to reflect on how he can get the best out of this year, and he’s excited’,” via ESPN.
Watson missed all of the 2025 season rehabbing an Achilles injury that he reinjured following the first surgery. It makes the second complete season Watson has missed in his career after he sat out 2021 with the Houston Texans. But even when the former first-round pick was on the field with the Browns, he struggled mightily. Some of it could have had to do with Kevin Stefanski’s system, but some of it was him simply playing poorly as well.
Last time out for Watson was 2024 when he went 1-6 in seven games as the starter. Watson had just 1,148 passing yards and five touchdowns in those seven games to go along with three interceptions.
Cleveland has Watson locked in for the 2026 season before he can hit free agency in 2027. The 30-year-old quarterback is playing for his next NFL contract this season with the Browns, and needs to play well if he wants any chance of starting again down the road.
The Browns haven’t named a starter and won’t until after mandatory OTAs at the earliest. But momentum seems to be growing for Watson to be named the guy, and we’ll see what comes after it. One thing is for sure, it seems Watson’s camp is excited about what his time away from football could do for him.