United States: Browns general manager Andrew Berry hasn’t ruled out quarterback Deshaun Watson playing for Cleveland again after another significant injury, three disappointing years, and a bitterly divided fan base.
A season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon three weeks later in a loss to Cincinnati is a setback that has NFL teams talking about Watson’s future with the Browns, who made the blockbuster trade for him last year, sparking the franchise to a 10-win turnaround, as reported by HealthDay.
Berry was asked directly Wednesday whether Watson would play for Cleveland again, and he said that’s always possible.
Big Contract, Big Concerns
But since the Browns brought in Watson (2-7) as the missing piece of their puzzle before the bye week, he hasn’t come close to living up to expectations.
It’s backfired on the team, who decided to send three of their first-round draft picks to Houston and sign the 29-year-old Watson to a fully guaranteed, five-year $230 million contract.
After Watson was suspended 11 games by the NFL for violating its personal conduct policy and his last two seasons were ended prematurely by injuries — a broken shoulder last season and a snapped tendon in 2024 — Watson is 9-10 in just 19 starts.
Salary Cap Challenges Ahead
The Browns will be limited by salary cap from fixing the roster because Watson is owed $46 million apiece in each of the next two seasons.
The deal has been universally panned, with some calling it the worst in NFL history.
Controversy Surrounds the Deal
The money and the allegations of sexual misconduct Watson faced as he played for the Texans led to a lot of criticism of the move from Team owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam. During massage therapy sessions, he faced two dozen women accusing him of sexual assault and harassment, as reported by HealthDay.
The trade was collaborative, Berry said.