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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has taken big strides in his recovery.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is making the most of his time away from the field as he prepares for a comeback.
Watson has been grinding through rehab after suffering a torn Achilles last season, an injury he initially sustained in October before aggravating it in January, which led to a second surgery. His availability for the upcoming season remains uncertain, but the 29-year-old is doing everything he can to get back on the field.
Watson recently shed his walking boot and has started light throwing work on the field. He’s also fine-tuning his mechanics with longtime personal QB coach Quincy Avery, as seen in a recent training video that sparked optimism about his progress.
“I think it’s a fun challenge, just cause we starting from ground zero,” Watson said. “I’ve been throwing my whole life. It’s really natural but it’s the little details and fundamentals that comes with it to be a little more accurate, to add that more power, that rotation. The more fluent you can be as a passer, as a thrower it’ll just flow better.
“Obviously, I don’t wanna be hurt, but at the same time, using this moment to really focus on the details that I wouldn’t focus on if I was rushing back.”
Deshaun Watson Not in QB Equation for Browns
When Watson returns, it’s unknown if he’ll have a spot on the depth chart to come back to with the Browns. Cleveland is navigating a four-man competition that includes Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
Additionally, Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam publicly acknowledged the 2022 blockbuster trade for Watson as a failure.
“We took a big swing-and-miss with Deshaun,” Haslam said at the league’s annual meeting. “We thought we had the quarterback; we didn’t. And we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him, so we’ve got to dig ourselves out of that hole.
“… [The trade] was an entire organization decision and it ends with Dee [Haslam] and I, so hold us accountable.”
The Browns also hold two first-round picks in next year’s draft. If nothing works out this year, they’ll likely try to find a way to use those picks to find their quarterback of the future.
Deshaun Watson Eager to Prove Doubters Wrong
Watson is just 9-10 as the starter in Cleveland, missing extensive time due to injury and a lengthy suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
When he has been on the field, there hasn’t been much to cheer about. He’s passed for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in a Browns uniform. However, Watson is determined to come back better than ever and has been fueled by his doubters.
“Everyone is doubting me, everyone doesn’t believe in me, and they don’t think I can get back to where I was. I know, and I believe. I know I’m going to be way better than before. I’m prepared. Before, I wasn’t prepared because I was going with the flow of how the world was seeing me. But when you get knocked down to the ground and get back up—walk through the rain—that brings out the real and the fire you had inside you.”
J.R. DeGroote JR DeGroote is a staff writer for Heavy.com, where they have been covering the NFL, NBA, and trending sports stories since 2019. More about J.R. DeGroote
