Deshaun Watson to miss Browns preseason finale against Seattle

When the Cleveland Browns were preparing for their second preseason game, they announced Deshaun Watson wouldn't play against the Minnesota Vikings. They felt his work in joint practices was enough and set their sights on the preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks for his 2024 debut.

Then when he began to deal with arm soreness in the middle of the week, his status for Saturday became in doubt. With the game just hours away, the Browns have decided to sit Watson and allow him to rest until their Week 1 showdown with the Dallas Cowboys.

Watson, who played in just six games last season, is still working his way back from shoulder surgery and has yet to play in an actual game. The good news, however, is that he was able to return to practice on Thursday, just one day after he had to shut it down due to his arm.

Sitting Deshaun Watson might be the best decision for the Browns

Sitting Watson in Week 3 of the preseason will lead to plenty of discourse with the term "rust" being thrown around again. There will be a belief that he could be rusty from not playing, but there could be far worse damage given the offensive line's state.

With a couple of starters already out, the Browns have been dealing with injuries to their backups as well. That means whoever starts under center is going to be dealing with constant pressure. Risking a $230 million quarterback coming off shoulder surgery in such a situation isn't ideal.

That's why it's best for the Browns to continue allowing Watson to get ready in controlled environments until the games matter.

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