It's a tale as old as time: the never-ending Cleveland Browns' quarterback carousel. Some fans might even call it "quarterback purgatory."
Nevertheless, this team is obviously still far away from finding a franchise passer. It isn't any wonder why, either, after this is the organization, after all, that made a bet on Deshaun Watson once upon a time.
Speaking of Watson, the veteran quarterback has been out of commission since he underwent Achilles surgery last year. But, ESPN's Adam Schefter just provided a murky update on when he might be ready for game action again.
"He's a good month away from being cleared for any football activity. There hasn't been conversation about when or if he'll play again," he said while on The Pat McAfee Show.
Watson suffered a setback earlier in this calendar year which cast plenty of doubt around his 2025 outlook.
Deshaun Watson is close to playing football again, but it very well might not be with the Browns
While Schefter's update was a little vague in the sense that he didn't say specifically when Watson would be cleared, the hint was that it could be sometime in November. That part, we know, is going to remain vague until we actually hear Watson is cleared.
But, the very clear portion of Schefter's report came when he specified that there has been no conversation around "when or if" Watson will play again.
Now, we can assume a few different things to be true if we'd like, but more than anything, it might be safe to say that Watson truly will never play another down for this franchise. More than anything else in regards to Watson, this is what the majority of fans are hoping for.
Of course, it's never a positive when someone gets hurt or has to undergo such a serious surgery. But, with what Watson has brought on this organization by way of added stress and media attention, it doesn't seem worthwhile to give him one more shot.
Browns fans want this experiment to be officially over and done with. But, because of Watson's contract, it's been nearly impossible for the botched trade to come to a close. Cleveland has tried opening other chapters, whether it be Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders or the short Kenny Pickett stint.
One thing remains clear: while no official decision has been made, it is extremely unlikely we ever see Watson suit up for the Browns ever again. This is simply a book most want to be closed for good.