On Tuesday, the Cleveland Browns decided not to activate Deshaun Watson. At the same time, they also chose not to activate him from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.
This move comes as the Browns have two games left in the regular season and as Watson has practiced over the last 21 days.
“He’s done a great job with everything that’s been asked of him … just felt like this was the right decision for him and for us,” said Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Even with all this, reports indicate the Browns are looking to retain Watson for the 2026 season. Recently, Watson has been recovering from an Achilles injury he sustained at the end of last season.
With the Browns, Watson is that veteran quarterback waiting in the wings to start if needed. Meanwhile, high-profile rookie Shedeur Sanders has taken over as the starting QB after a recent concussion took out Dillion Gabriel.
However, Watson has not played a game this season. Last year, he threw for 1,148 yards with five touchdowns and a QB rating of 21.0.
Meanwhile, the Browns are in last place in the AFC North with a 3-12 record. Watson played in the 2017 NFL season.
This pales in comparison to the reality Deshaun Watson faces.
There is much more at stake here when it comes to Deshaun Watson. While with the Houston Texans, more than 20 women came forward to accuse him of sexual misconduct. Lawsuits were filed, and a trial is scheduled for Feb 17 of next year.
Ultimately, Watson didn’t play during his final season with the Texans. Eventually, he was traded to Cleveland. In 2022, the Browns completely shocked the NFL world by signing Watson to a record $230 million guaranteed contract.
However, the NFL suspended him for the first 11 games of the 2023 season.
