Browns experiencing déjà vu with Deshaun Watson injuries
By Randy Gurzi
Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns went through a roller coaster in 2023. The veteran quarterback delivered one of his better games with the franchise in Week 3 over the Tennessee Titans but suffered a shoulder injury.
Originally, it was said to be minor and the team believed he would play in Week 4. Roughly 90 minutes before the game, they announced he was out and rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson would get the start against the Baltimore Ravens. To make matters worse, DTR was unaware he was starting until then, leaving him in a tough spot.
Watson said he was ready to go a few weeks later but ended up returning for just five passes against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 6. Again, he missed another week and played in Weeks 8 and 9 before being shut down for the season.
He had surgery and throughout the offseason, he was said to be on the right path. However, there are once again concerning reports.
Watson was supposed to start this Saturday against the Seattle Seahawks but that might not happen. Some were hoping he wouldn't play due to the injuries on the offensive line but that's not the reason for the concern. Instead, it's due to Watson being shut down on Wednesday after dealing with "arm soreness."
This is second time Browns shut Deshaun Watson down in the last month
This isn't a new issue either. At the end of July, Watson ended practice early due to soreness. This was originally reported by Mary Kay Cabot, who said the team believed it wasn't a concern.
Now with the final preseason game coming up and Watson again being shut down, Cleveland is saying they're not concerned. The coaching staff is proclaiming he's going to be ready to go by Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys but this is still eerily similar to how things went in 2023.
At this point, we need to see Watson play before believing there's no cause for alarm.