The 10-year timeline for Watson won’t mean much unless he begins to produce on the field. A lengthy suspension and injuries have limited the impact he’s been able to have. Priority No. 1 for the Browns is keeping Watson on the field.
Watson had shoulder surgery in November. He suffered a fracture to the glenoid bone in his throwing shoulder last season and was limited to six starts. Watson has been working hard with his rehab to get back on the field and recently started throwing again.
“This week, Deshaun was throwing up to 40 yards. He’s in a pretty good spot. Again, I don’t want to put the cart in front of the horse,” Berry said. “But he’s progressing as appropriate we’re really, really pleased with the work that he’s put in and really pleased with how the shoulder is responding, but we’re still in the middle of a rehab process. So we know that it can take different, left and right turns. But we’re pretty optimistic in terms of what we’ve seen so far.”
Deshaun Watson Targeting Week 1 Return
Watson has said he’ll be ready for Week 1. He’s on-site for the team’s offseason workouts but is still mostly working on his own. Watson expects to participate more in May during OTAs.
“The plan is to come back whenever they feel like, and I feel like we’re on the same page that we’re ready, so there’s not a timeline or a date that we have that this is when I’m going to be a hundred percent,” Watson said on April 17. “It’s just kind of how the process, it can be sooner than later, it can be later than sooner. So I think he’s just really, depending on how each landmark we hit and how fast we can get it and how my shoulder’s reacting.”
The Browns added some additional weapons for Watson this offseason. The most notable is Jerry Jeudy, who arrived via trade. The former first-round pick will team up with Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore, giving Watson another capable target.
Watson has passed for 2217 yards, 14 touchdowns and 9 interceptions through two seasons with the Browns.