Try to find a positive news story about Deshaun Watson from this offseason or training camp. It may take a while.
And this time we will only talk about positive news on the pitch.
Watson’s training camp reviews have been lukewarm at best and there was more bad news Wednesday: Watson sat out practice with a sore shoulder and his status for the end of the preseason is up in the air, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. told Cleveland mediaWatson hasn’t played all preseason, in part because he’s recovering from shoulder surgery. He was expected to play this week, but it’s not certain because of his shoulder.
The Browns need Watson to be healthy to reach his potential, and they have to be a little nervous about that proposition at this point.
Watson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in a game against the Baltimore Ravens last season and then underwent surgery. The bigger issue is that Watson had rarely played well with the Browns before that injury, and now his shoulder makes things even more complicated.
Deshaun Watson is dealing with a shoulder problem
Watson’s story is well known by now. The Browns made a massive trade with the Texans for Watson, who sat out a season waiting to be traded. The Browns then signed him to a record-breaking $230 million guaranteed contract. The trade and the contract look worse with each passing day.
Watson was suspended 11 games in his first season with the Browns for sexual misconduct. He missed most of his second season with the Browns due to injury. When he has played, he has rarely looked like the player he was in his prime in Houston.
Watson’s third season with the Browns should have been better. But the mystery surrounding his shoulder has become a nagging issue, even if Stefanski said he I wasn’t too worriedIt’s hard to believe at this point.
The Browns depended on Watson
The Browns won 11 games last season and made the playoffs, despite a lot of quarterback changes. Joe Flacco brought some stability toward the end of the season. If Watson could have played at an average level, the Browns should have been an AFC contender.
Maybe Watson can have a good season. We don’t know. Reports of shoulder injuries don’t help clarify the situation. Jameis Winston was signed as a backup and we might see more of him this season than the Browns wanted.
Whatever this season holds for the Browns and Watson, with just over two weeks to go until the season opener, there are far more questions than answers. The Browns aren’t paying for it.