The Browns’ quarterback situation has been a revolving door this season, but it looks like one piece of that puzzle is staying put-at least for now. According to a Saturday report, Cleveland plans to keep Deshaun Watson on the roster through the 2026 season.
That’s a significant commitment, considering Watson hasn’t played since suffering a ruptured Achilles back on October 20 against the Bengals. He re-injured the same Achilles not long after, bringing his 2024 season to a premature end.
Before the injury, Watson’s on-field production was modest. In seven games, he threw five touchdowns against three interceptions-numbers that don’t exactly jump off the page, but also don’t tell the full story of a quarterback who’s still trying to find rhythm in a system that’s been anything but stable.
Watson’s time in Cleveland has been anything but quiet. Since arriving via a blockbuster trade in March 2022, his tenure has been marked by controversy and inconsistency.
Off the field, he served an 11-game suspension in 2022 following accusations of sexual misconduct from nearly two dozen women-allegations that led to his departure from Houston. While he was never criminally charged, the situation cast a long shadow over both his career and the Browns’ decision to bring him in.
From a football perspective, the trade has been under the microscope ever since. Cleveland gave up a haul to acquire Watson and handed him one of the most lucrative contracts in NFL history.
So far, the returns have been underwhelming. Injuries have limited his availability, and when he has played, the flashes of elite play have been sporadic at best.
This season has only added to the chaos. Cleveland has started three different quarterbacks-Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders-in Watson’s absence.
The result? A 3-9 record that has them sitting at the bottom of the AFC North.
It’s been a tough road for a team that had playoff aspirations not long ago.
Still, the Browns’ decision to keep Watson around signals they’re not ready to hit the reset button just yet. Whether that’s due to financial commitment, belief in his potential, or a lack of better options is up for debate. But one thing is clear: Cleveland is doubling down on a quarterback who, for better or worse, remains at the center of their rebuild.
The Browns now face a critical stretch-not just to finish the season with some momentum, but to figure out what kind of team they want to be in 2025 and beyond. If Watson can return healthy and finally settle into the role the team envisioned when they made the deal, there’s still a chance to turn this thing around. But if the injuries continue and the offense remains in flux, Cleveland could be staring down one of the most costly missteps in recent NFL memory.
For now, the Browns are sticking with Watson. The question is: can he finally give them a reason to believe that decision will pay off?