The mystery surrounding Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson’s health has been tough to solve.
He missed two full games with a shoulder ailment before he returned in Week 6, then he left that game in the first quarter after he landed awkwardly on the same shoulder and has already been ruled out for Week 7 against the Seattle Seahawks.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski publically admitted that “residual swelling that’s affecting his throwing” is the reason for Watson’s absence this week and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported doctors told the quarterback he’s dealing with “a strain of the subscapularis within the rotator cuff” that usually heals in baseball pitchers in four-to-six weeks.
Meanwhile, a team source told Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein that Watson is dealing with “physical discomfort” and that they do believe he’s actually injured.
The other issue is the sizable financial committment the Browns made with Watson. Cleveland handed him a fully-guaranteed five-year, $230 million deal after the blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans in 2022. The team didn’t see much of an immediate return after he played just six games this past season after his suspension over multiple sexual harrassment allegations.
Watson’s injury situation in 2023 has lessened that return more, even as the Browns sit tied for second in the AFC North and one game back from the Baltimore Ravens. So, as another source told Epstein, it would be almost foolish for Cleveland to rush their prized – and expensive – franchise player back too quickly for fear of worsening his injury.
“It wouldn’t be smart to ignore how much you’ve invested in him,” the source told Epstein, “to put him out there to possibly get more injured.”
So while Cleveland waits for Watson’s shoulder to heal, the Browns will lean on practice squad call-up P.J. Walker once more. Fortunately, he’s has navigated the Browns to back-to-back wins already alongside impressive performances from the defense. He’ll have another tough task, though, with the Seahawks on deck.