Deshaun Watson was brought in to be the savior for the Cleveland Browns. However, despite the franchise having turned to Shedeur Sanders and others to move forward in the past, Watson remains in play to potentially start in 2026, his fifth year with the team. While still in play, some agree he faces an uphill battle. That uphill battle might have just gotten a bit steeper.
According to a report from Mary Kay Cabot posted on X on Wednesday, Watson said he still hasn’t fully recovered from an injury suffered nearly three years ago.
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“Deshaun Watson said he hasn’t been “100%” since he first hurt the shoulder in 2023 Week 3 vs Titans,” she posted.
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The injury sets the stage for big questions heading into training camp. If his shoulder isn’t fully healthy now, two years and nine months after it was injured, the question is whether it will ever fully heal. Then, if it won’t be fully healed in the coming months, the next question is how big of an impact it will have on his ability to throw and otherwise operate.
The answers will have strong implications for any chance of getting back on the gridiron in the regular season.
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Reassessing Deshaun Watson’s chances of winning starting job
With Deshaun Watson openly admitting to not being fully recovered, it sets the stage for him to take a backseat in the competition to start for the Cleveland Browns in 2026. While he might show up and go through drills, not being fully healthy after missing every game since Oct. 20, 2024 and having an injury since 2023 that isn’t yet fully recovered might be the last nail in the coffin.
The Browns have every reason to go through with the competition to keep Shedeur Sanders sharp and use a less than 100% Watson as a measuring stick to gauge Sanders’ progress.
If the two quarterbacks are on similar footing, it might be enough to get Cleveland to start planning for 2027. It will also give underdogs Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green the chance to maximize their potential, assuming anything is hidden under the hood.
Will Watson return to the gridiron in 2026, the last year of his five-year deal?
Edited by Ian Van Roy
