Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry remained vague when addressing Deshaun Watson’s status with the team on Wednesday, as the quarterback’s struggles continued before a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 7.
Berry, during a press conference held during the Browns’ bye week, stated: “Our focus with Deshaun, as with any player with a significant injury, is primarily to ensure he fully recovers from the Achilles tear. We’ll address everything else at a later time.”
Prior to his injury, Watson had the lowest Total QBR among qualified NFL quarterbacks. The Browns were 1-5 in his six starts and failed to score 20 points in any of those games. However, Berry emphasized that the offense’s issues went beyond Watson.
“We haven’t performed well as a team, especially on offense,” Berry noted. “When an offense struggles, naturally, the starting quarterback and the playcaller get most of the blame. But it really comes down to a lack of cohesion and organization across all positions.”
Since acquiring Watson with a trade that cost three first-round picks and a fully guaranteed $230 million contract before the 2022 season, the Browns have faced setbacks. Watson has started 19 games over two injury-shortened seasons. In 2023, he missed the final eight games due to shoulder surgery. Additionally, he served an 11-game suspension in 2022 following accusations of sexual misconduct by over two dozen women.
Since joining the Browns, Watson’s Total QBR of 33.8 ranks second-worst among qualified passers, ahead of only Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers.
Berry expressed support for head coach Kevin Stefanski’s decision to keep starting Watson before the Achilles injury. When asked if the decision to acquire Watson was his or driven by ownership, Berry confirmed, “All of us were on board.”
The Browns are financially tied to Watson, owing him $46 million annually over the next two seasons. His cap hits balloon to $72.9 million in both 2025 and 2026—among the highest in the league. If the Browns were to cut ties after this season, it would result in dead cap hits of $172 million in 2025 and $99 million in 2026.
The Browns, after a playoff season at 11-6 last year, currently sit at 2-7, tied for the league’s worst record. With Watson sidelined, Jameis Winston has stepped in as quarterback, and Stefanski handed over playcalling duties to offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey in Week 8. In a bid to shake things up, the team traded veteran receiver Amari Cooper to the Bills and defensive end Za’Darius Smith to the Lions before the trade deadline.
When asked if Watson could still return as the Browns’ starter, Berry replied, “Yeah, I think that’s always possible.” However, he declined to evaluate whether trading for Watson was ultimately the right move, stating, “I’m really not in reflection mode.”
