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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson recently returned to practice.
The Cleveland Browns are committing to Shedeur Sanders for the remainder of the season, shutting the door on any chance of Deshaun Watson returning to the field in 2025.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Sanders will start the final four games, rewarding the rookie after his breakout performance against the Tennessee Titans. Sanders passed for 364 yards and four touchdowns, nearly leading Cleveland to a comeback.
“With our quarterbacks and our young players, you’re always making sure that you’re making the right decisions for our guys. And I think he has constantly and consistently gotten better in each one of these games and how he’s approached his game,” Stefanski said. “He’s been working very hard, so I feel good about where his development is heading. He knows there are always going to be plays that he can be better and those types of things, but he’s very intentional about getting better each and every game he’s out there.”
Watson returned to practice ahead of Week 14, triggering his 21-day activation window and opening the possibility — at least procedurally — that he could be moved back to the active roster. If the Browns add him to the 53-man roster, it’s unclear what Watson’s role will be. Dillon Gabriel, another rookie who previously started games, is currently holding down the backup spot on the depth chart. Earlier in the season, Sanders served as the No. 3, emergency quarterback on game days.
Browns to Keep Deshaun Watson on Roster
The Browns don’t appear interested in rushing Watson into game action. He’s been sidelined for more than a year and has not played more than seven games in a season since 2020. He landed in Cleveland in 2022 via a blockbuster trade. The Browns quickly inked him to a $230 million guaranteed deal that runs through 2026.
While his prospects look grim to see the field this year, Watson is expected to remain on the roster next year, which is the final year of his contract.
“The Browns believe Watson has contributed to their quarterback room and provided a veteran presence that has had value for their rookie quarterbacks,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said. “That’s another reason he was back at practice last week and is expected back with the team next season.”
The decision to keep Watson around was widely expected, given the size of his contract and the cost of moving on. Releasing him before June 1 would trigger nearly $135 million in dead money — an unprecedented cap penalty. Even a post-June 1 release would carry a charge of roughly $53 million.
Browns Called Deshaun Watson Trade ‘Swing and Miss’
Watson is not expected to factor into the starting quarterback decision moving forward. The Browns have signaled publicly that they’ve moved on from the former Pro Bowler. That included owner Jimmy Haslam calling the trade a “swing and miss.”
“We took a big swing-and-miss with Deshaun,” Haslam said in the offseason. “We thought we had the quarterback; we didn’t. And we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him, so we’ve got to dig ourselves out of that hole. … [The trade] was an entire organization decision and it ends with Dee [Haslam] and I, so hold us accountable.”
Watson remains intent on proving he can still be a capable starter in this league, but his route back to the field in Cleveland is murky at best.
J.R. DeGroote JR DeGroote is a staff writer for Heavy.com, where he has covered the NFL, NBA, and trending sports stories since 2019. His work focuses on some of the most passionate fanbases in sports, including reporting on the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Lakers. More about J.R. DeGroote
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