Unusual Tension Escalates Between Cleveland Browns and Deshaun Watson

Deshaun Watson, the quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, and his team have developed an unusual bond, which has only become more intriguing in light of recent developments.

The story started in Week 4 when Watson, fresh off an outstanding game against the Titans, showed up on the practice report with a shoulder injury and limited practice participation. That Friday, he boldly announced that he would play against Baltimore, but on game day, he was noticeably missing.

On the day of the Ravens-Browns game, at 5:04 p.m. ET, the situation became even more confusing when a source informed me that some players were confused about Watson’s absence. At first, it was thought he would play, but it appeared he had made up his mind not to.

In response to questions, the team described it as a “collective decision,” but Coach Kevin Stefanski refuted this by stating the very next day that Watson had received the all-clear to play, which heightened speculation that he might have played against the Ravens.

There was growing speculation that he would return following the Week 5 bye, but he was ruled out of the 49ers game. He did recover in time for the Colts game on Sunday, but a hard hit in the first quarter necessitated a concussion assessment. After the game, Stefanski defended his decision to keep Watson out, but Watson became more circumspect. According to the most recent information, Watson will not play in the Week 8 match.

Although some have conjectured that Watson might not wish to participate, it is too soon to make such judgments. In the past, Watson has played with an ACL tear while at Clemson and, when flying was not an option, he had to take a bus from Houston to Jacksonville and back because of lung and rib injuries in order to play for the Texans. Given that the Browns are still in the running and that Watson seemed to be getting back to his pre-2021 form prior to the shoulder injury, why would he decline to play now?

It wouldn’t be prudent to discount the chance that Watson and the Browns no longer get along. Shortly after agreeing to a lucrative extension, he looked to leave Houston, and the Browns were the first team he cut from his final roster in 2022 before they made a big five-year, fully guaranteed contract offer.

In conclusion, this situation has a strange air about it, and neither Watson nor the team are doing much to change it. We will keep a close eye on events and look into whether this seeming impasse, which offers few options that work for both parties, could develop into a more serious problem, especially in light of Watson’s guaranteed $46 million in earnings in 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Although it still begs the question of who would be willing to shoulder the financial burden of that contract at this point, it is possible that a surprise trade could occur before next Tuesday.