Barring the NFL appealing Judge Sue Robinson’s decision, the Cleveland Browns will have QB Deshaun Watson back at quarterback for Week 7 of the 2022 NFL season. The team has some certainty now and can plan around starting QB Jacoby Brissett for the first six games of the year.
Watson is eligible to practice the remainder of training camp before the suspension begins in at the start of Week 1. It will be interesting how HC Kevin Stefanski divides snaps between the two quarterbacks on the ramp-up to the start of the season.
A new part of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) allows for suspended players to return to the team halfway through their suspension to prepare for their return to the field:
Under the CBA, Watson can return to practice during the second half of the suspension. Pending appeal, that would be Week 4 (can practice during training camp as well) #Browns
— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) August 1, 2022
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As long as the NFL doesn’t appeal and increase the suspension, Stefanski will once again be balancing the quarterback who will be starting the next regular season game (Brissett) with the quarterback who is the intended starter for the rest of the season (Watson).
The good news for the Browns is that Watson will be as prepared as possible, both physically and in game planning, based on the CBA compared to the old rules that would not have allowed him to return until Week 7 started.