Deshaun Watson’s status has already moved the market for the Browns’ Week 9 trip to New Orleans.
Cleveland’s quarterback has been placed in concussion protocol after taking a heavy hit in the first quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Watson was initially cleared to return, but he began experiencing concussion symptoms on Monday night and reported them to the team on Tuesday.
That development pushed the Browns from 2.5-point underdogs to 3-point underdogs against the Saints, a small but notable shift heading into Sunday’s game.
The line movement leaves two possibilities: oddsmakers may still believe Watson has a chance to suit up, or they may simply see little separation between him and backup Shedeur Sanders. Sanders, the former Colorado star, briefly played in Week 8 against Pittsburgh, and he also started several games as a rookie in the 2025 season.
Cleveland enters Week 9 at 5-3 and has stayed in the AFC playoff picture behind Watson’s play. He has delivered five fourth-quarter comebacks this season, keeping the Browns afloat even after the loss to Pittsburgh. The team’s outlook got a boost with Lamar Jackson sidelined by a thumb injury for the Baltimore Ravens.
New Orleans comes in at 2-5 after its bye week and is trying to remain in the race for the NFC South. The Saints have not won at home this season, going 0-4 straight up, which is part of the reason bettors may still look at Cleveland to cover even if Watson is unavailable.
For the season, Watson has completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 1,806 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions. He has also run 51 times for 217 yards and a score. The former Pro Bowler still hasn’t fully recaptured the form he showed with the Houston Texans, but he has remained Cleveland’s best answer at quarterback in 2026.
At this point, Watson should be considered highly questionable for Sunday, and he will need to clear concussion protocol to have any shot at playing.
In Other News...
Broncos Suddenly Have A Big Defensive Question Before Sunday
Talanoa Hufangas return to practice offered the Broncos a timely bit of relief this week, even if it came in a limited role. The starting safety had been sidelined since his Week 5 ankle injury, forcing Denver to lean on backup safeties for three games while the secondary adjusted on the fly.
His presence back on the field at least opens the door for Sundays matchup with the Carolina Panthers, where Denver would love to have one of its key defensive pieces available again. The timing matters, too, because the Broncos are still waiting to see whether Hufanga can do enough in the coming days to move from practice participation to game readiness. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Secondary Suddenly Faces A Big Week 9 Concern
Denvers secondary is dealing with a late-week injury squeeze heading into Week 9, with starting safety Brandon Jones, defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike and cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine all missing practice for a second straight day. That leaves the Broncos with a little less certainty than theyd like against Carolina, especially in a matchup where the back end of the defense could be tested if the injury report continues to grow.
There is at least a bit of relief on the horizon with Talanoa Hufanga moving to limited participation and putting himself in line to return after a three-game absence. The Panthers have their own health questions, with five players sitting out practice, but quarterback Bryce Young was a full participant and is expected to play, so Denver may need to navigate this one without much help from Carolinas injury list. [Read more 🡒]
Bo Nix Is Suddenly Tied To Denvers Biggest Trade Decision
Bo Nixs play has become part of a bigger Broncos conversation, and not just because his recent stretch has shown real improvement. NFL insiders James Palmer and Cecil Lammey said the young quarterback is trending in the right direction, though they stopped short of calling it a leap past where he was a year ago. For Denver, that matters because the front office has to decide whether this is the kind of quarterback growth that justifies more aggressive roster building around him.
George Patons approach has been described as cautious, with the Broncos unlikely to swing big unless they feel confident about where Nix is headed. Palmer and Lammey pointed to how other teams have made bold moves when they believed in their quarterback situation, and a win over Kansas City could sharpen that debate even more. If Denver keeps climbing, the trade market may suddenly look a lot more interesting, and the Broncos will have to decide how far they want to go. [Read more 🡒]