Browns GM noncommittal on Deshaun Watson as starting QB in 2025

BEREA, Ohio — Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry was noncommittal when asked Wednesday about Deshaun Watson’s standing with the franchise, as the quarterback’s struggles in Cleveland continued before he sustained a season-ending right Achilles tendon tear in Week 7.

“Really our focus with Deshaun, I would say for any player with a season-ending injury and a major injury, is first and foremost and to make sure that he gets healthy from the Achilles injury,” Berry said during a news conference with reporters during the team’s bye week. “Everything else, we’ll deal with at a later moment.”

Before the injury, Watson posted the lowest Total QBR of any qualified passer in the NFL. The Browns were 1-5 in Watson’s six starts before the Achilles injury and didn’t reach 20 points in any of those games.

Berry, though, said the offense’s issues were not limited to Watson.

“We haven’t played well as a team and we haven’t played well as a unit on offense,” Berry said. “I think oftentimes when you don’t play well on offense, obviously your starting quarterback and your playcaller will get the most criticism. But the reality of it is, offenses, it comes down to organization and synchronization. There’s just a lot of shared ownership across the different position groups in terms of why we didn’t perform.”

Since trading three first-round picks and giving Watson a fully guaranteed $230 million contract before the 2022 season, Watson has started 19 games, with each of his last two seasons ending because of injury. He missed the final eight games of the 2023 season after undergoing surgery to his throwing shoulder. He served an 11-game suspension to start the 2022 season after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions.

Since making his debut in Cleveland, Watson’s 33.8 Total QBR ranks 32nd of 33 qualifying passers, higher than only that of the Carolina Panthers’ Bryce Young.

Berry said he was in “full support” of coach Kevin Stefanski’s decision to keep starting Watson before his latest injury. When asked whether the decision to trade for Watson was his or a mandate from ownership, Berry said: “All of us were on board.”

The Browns still owe Watson $46 million in each of the next two seasons. Watson has cap hits of $72.9 million in the 2025 and 2026 seasons, both slated to be the second highest in the NFL. Cleveland would take on dead cap hits of $172 million and $99 million in 2025 and 2026 if the team were to part ways with Watson after the season.

One year after finishing with an 11-6 record and making the playoffs, the Browns are 2-7, tied for the worst record in the league.

Jameis Winston has taken over for the injured Watson and Stefanski relinquished playcalling duties to offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey in Week 8. A disappointing first half of the season has seen the team trade two veteran leaders: wide receiver Amari Cooper, who was traded to the Buffalo Bills, and defensive end  Za’Darius Smith, who was dealt to the Detroit Lions before Tuesday’s trade deadline.

When later asked whether it is still possible for Watson to return as the Browns’ starting quarterback, Berry said, “Yeah, I think that’s always possible.”

Berry declined to assess the deal for Watson and whether it was a good trade.

“I’m really not in reflection mode,” he said.