BEREA, Ohio — Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry was vague when asked about Deshaun Watson’s future with the team, as the quarterback’s struggles continued before he suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury in Week 7.
“Our primary focus with Deshaun, as with any player facing a significant, season-ending injury, is to ensure he fully recovers from the Achilles issue,” Berry said during a press conference at the team’s bye week. “We’ll address everything else at a later time.”
Before the injury, Watson had posted the lowest QBR among qualified NFL quarterbacks, and the Browns were 1-5 in his six starts. The team failed to score more than 20 points in any of those games.
However, Berry emphasized that the offensive struggles weren’t solely on Watson.
“We haven’t played well as a team, and the offense as a whole hasn’t performed well,” Berry explained. “When the offense struggles, the starting quarterback and playcaller often bear the brunt of the criticism. But offensive performance is about overall organization and coordination. The issues we’ve had are shared across different position groups.”
Since the Browns traded three first-round picks and signed Watson to a fully guaranteed $230 million contract in 2022, Watson has started 19 games, with each of the last two seasons ending due to injury. He missed the final eight games of 2023 after shoulder surgery and served an 11-game suspension in 2022 following allegations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions.
Watson’s performance in Cleveland has been lackluster, with his 33.8 QBR ranking 32nd out of 33 qualified quarterbacks, ahead of only Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers.
Berry said he fully supported coach Kevin Stefanski’s decision to keep starting Watson before the injury and when asked whether the trade for Watson was his decision or one made by ownership, Berry responded, “All of us were on board.”
Despite Watson’s struggles, the Browns still owe him $46 million over the next two seasons. His cap hits will be $72.9 million in both 2025 and 2026, ranking among the highest in the NFL. If the Browns were to release Watson after the season, they would face dead cap hits of $172 million and $99 million in 2025 and 2026, respectively.
After an 11-6 record and playoff appearance in 2022, the Browns have plummeted to a 2-7 record, tying for the worst in the league. With Watson injured, Jameis Winston has stepped in at quarterback, and offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey took over playcalling duties from Stefanski in Week 8.
The team has also traded two key veterans: wide receiver Amari Cooper, who went to the Buffalo Bills, and defensive end Za’Darius Smith, who was dealt to the Detroit Lions before the trade deadline.
When asked if it’s still possible for Watson to return as the Browns’ starting quarterback, Berry replied, “Yeah, I think that’s always possible.”
Berry declined to evaluate whether the trade for Watson was ultimately a good one.
“I’m not in reflection mode right now,” he said.
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