Deshaun Watson could move forward in his recovery from shoulder surgery this week.
According to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, the Cleveland Browns quarterback may resume light throwing as soon as Tuesday. Watson invited personal quarterback coach Quincy Avery and Browns tight end David Njoku to Los Angeles on Monday.
Cleveland acquired Watson amid numerous sexual assault allegations and gave him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract in 2022. He’s yet to play like a franchise quarterback.
Watson returned from an 11-game suspension to close his first season with a 79.1 quarterback rating. He wasn’t much better during an injury-marred 2023, posting an 84.3 passer rating in six starts.
The former first-round pick has averaged 6.5 yards per pass with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions during his Browns career. His 2023 campaign ended in Week 10, and the team flourished without him.
Including a first-round playoff loss to Watson’s former team, the Houston Texans, Joe Flacco amassed 1,923 passing yards and 14 touchdowns in six games. Njoku enjoyed the best stretch of his career alongside the veteran, collecting 483 yards and four touchdowns with Flacco after registering 249 yards in Watson’s six starts.
Cleveland will begin bearing the brunt of Watson’s massive contract this season. No NFL player has a higher cap hit than the 28-year-old’s $63.977 million.
However, the Browns still added to their quarterback room by signing Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley. They’ll compete with Dorian Thompson-Robinson for positioning behind Watson on the depth chart, assuming he’s ready for training camp.