The Cleveland Browns campaign last season was affected early on due to a shoulder injury that sidelined quarterback Deshaun Watson. Now, general manager Andrew Berry released an update on whether he can make it back in time for the season opener or not.
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Watson burst onto the NFL scene in 2017 as the Houston Texans’ first-round draft pick. After a promising rookie year cut short by injury, Watson emerged as one of the league’s elite young quarterbacks, guiding the Texans to consecutive division titles in 2018 and 2019 and leading the NFL in passing yards in 2020.
Despite his on-field success, Watson’s career has been overshadowed by off-the-field legal issues. In 2021, he was sued by dozens of female massage therapists for sexual harassment and assault, leading to his sitting out the entire season. Though he has denied wrongdoing, Watson settled 20 of the claims.
These controversies, coupled with disagreements with the Texans’ front office, ultimately resulted in a trade to Cleveland in 2022. The Browns signed Watson to a five-year, $230 million contract, underscoring his immense talent despite his scandal. However, a shoulder injury sidelined him for most of last season, making the upcoming campaign a crucial one for him.
Cleveland Browns General Manager Andrew Berry Reveals Deshaun Injury Update
Just recently, Andrew Berry came out with an update on Watson’s availability for next season. In an article for the NFL’s official website, Nick Shook goes into detail on what the Browns GM said.
“First and foremost, Deshaun has really worked his tail off during the rehabilitation process over the last several months,” Berry said during an appearance on The Insiders on Monday. “He’s really actually ahead of schedule.
He’s really chomping at the bit to take the governor off so to speak, but really he’s had a really nice spring. He’s thrown the ball well. Did a really nice job during our 7-on-7 and team periods during this veteran minicamp. So, we’re excited as he gets into training camp and gets the pads on,” Shook wrote.
Even without Watson, the Browns finished the regular season with an 11-6 record in the AFC North Division. However, they were eliminated by CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round earlier this year.
It remains to be seen what version of Watson will come back to the Browns later this year. If he comes back in good form, expect Cleveland to perform better against various contenders in the NFL.
