Browns get timeline for Deshaun Watson return amid trade rumors

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The Browns expect QB Deshaun Watson to return next week.

The Cleveland Browns will be without Deshaun Watson on Sunday, but they don’t expect their franchise QB to be sidelined for too long.

Watson is dealing with a rotator cuff strain and will miss his fourth game on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. He tried to play last week but didn’t look like himself and left after taking a hard hit in the first quarter.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski didn’t feel comfortable putting Watson back on the field. Watson was 1 of 5 for 5 yards and an interception to that point.

“I will always protect my players, especially at the quarterback position,” Stefanski said. “I just felt like keeping him out of that game was the right thing to do at that moment.”

Watson has spent the week rehabilitating his shoulder, and the Browns announced earlier this week that he would sit out the game against the Seahawks. There is hope that Watson will return next week. If not, it shouldn’t be extended by more than two weeks, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

“Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will continue to be sidelined week-to-week with his rotator cuff injury, but it is not expected to result in a long-term absence that would require him to be placed on injured reserve, which automatically removes him would take a break for four weeks.” Sources”, Schefter tweeted on Sunday, October 29th. “While the Browns will continue to be cautious with him, in the words of one source, it is ‘unlikely to take longer than two weeks.’

Deshaun Watson says he’s committed to the Browns

The Watson injury saga was a strange one and began more than a month ago. It was initially ruled a shoulder contusion and the Browns said he was medically cleared to play. That sparked a discussion about Watson’s desire to get on the field with him Fully guaranteed $230 million contract in focus.

Watson spoke to the media this week despite his exclusion and made his stance clear.

“Why wouldn’t I want to play? I just worked hard for two years to be able to play again. So why wouldn’t I want to play?” Watson said. “We are working hard to get this back. But yeah, why wouldn’t I want to play? I don’t do this for any other reason. I see the whole contract situation and all that stuff. Yes, this stuff is just to get people talking and it’s to create narratives.”

The Browns went 3-1 with Watson earlier this season. He is completing 61.7% of his passes and has 683 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions.

Browns could be looking for an experienced backup QB at the trade deadline

PJ Walker will play in a draw against the Seahawks. It will be his second start, although he played most of the Week 7 matchup against the Colts when Watson was out. Walker was able to lead the Browns to two wins but couldn’t generate much offense.

Walker has completed and passed passes at a rate of 50% with the Browns this season 370 yards and 3 interceptions.

The Browns could use the trade deadline to explore their options to add a veteran quarterback like Jacoby Brissett or Kirk Cousins. It would protect the team from a situation where Watson’s shoulder flares up again and he misses time.

JR DeGroote covers the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Lakers for Heavy.com. As a reporter for West Hawaii Today, he covered local and national sports and has decades of digital media experience with previous stints at SB Nation and Bleacher Report. He has won multiple state, regional and national awards for sports reporting and photography. More about JR DeGroote