The disastrous Deshaun Watson Era in Cleveland might just extend into 2026.
Watson, who just returned to practice last week after suffering his second torn Achilles during the offseason, is considered a potential starting quarterback for the Browns next season, NFL Network reported.
NFL contracts dictate a lot of roster decisions, and the Browns still owe $46 million guaranteed to Watson on the worst contract in the history of the league. It would be a “surprise” if he is not on the roster when training camp opens, the report stated.
Owner Jimmy Haslam already has described trading a boatload of draft capital for Watson and signing him to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract as a “big swing and miss.” After all, Watson already had been accused of sexual misconduct — and not indicted by a jury — by more than 20 massage therapists at the end of his Pro Bowl tenure with the Texans, which led to an 11-game suspension at the start of his tenure with the Browns.
Watson, 30, is not expected to start this season even as he practices. He has not played since October 2024 but could be added to the 53-man roster before his 21-day activation window expires.
The Browns signaled a move in a direct direction during the draft by selecting third-rounder Dillon Gabriel and fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders. The two rookies are a combined 2-6 as starters for the Browns, who entered Sunday’s action with a 3-9 record.
It’s impossible to imagine a more lightning-rod quarterback depth chart than Watson and Sanders — for very different reasons.
“He has been working so hard, rehabbing, so finally to get out there on the practice field with his teammates to go through individual, I think this is really great for him,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said last week.
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Of course, Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry, who were in lockstep on the decision to move on from Baker Mayfield and pursue Watson in 2022, are not certain to remain in their positions in the offseason. That could change Watson’s standing in the organization.
The Browns also have two first-round picks in the 2026 draft if they wanted to pursue drafting another quarterback.
Since the blockbuster trade, the oft-injured Watson is 9-10 with 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
