Deshaun Watson, now in the midst of his second Achilles recovery, has taken on a more visible off-field role this offseason.
He’s been present in meetings, coaching up younger QBs such as Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, and tossing passes in rehab sessions without the walking boot.
From a PR standpoint, it’s a refreshing image with a veteran leader showing support while recovering. But peel back the curtain, and insiders suggest this may be less about mentoring and more about managing optics.
Garrett Bush of The Barbershop Podcast dropped a bombshell that reframes the situation entirely.
“They done reached out to Deshaun Watson, said, ‘listen, we’re not going to get you up out of here, out of here’, out of here, out of here. What we’re going to do is you will put some things out, and you mentor and you get back in rehab and put some positivity and spin it,” Bush said on his podcast.
He didn’t stop there. According to Bush, the Browns are already preparing for life after Watson, even if that preparation happens behind closed doors.
“We’ll give you an opportunity. Somebody else in the league and give you a shot. If you do all of the right things as we monitor you still with the Cleveland Browns,” Bush added.
Cleveland’s quarterback room is loaded, but Watson’s seat is the hottest
With Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco already in the mix, and two intriguing wild cards in rookie Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, Cleveland has options. The question is whether Deshaun Watson is still the centerpiece.
According to cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, he’s mentoring the young quarterbacks, especially Sanders.
“He’s been a guy I’ve connected with as well, and he’s actually a guy I sit by in our O-line meetings, even in our offensive unit meetings,” Sanders said, per Cabot. “So just being able to be around him and nudge him and ask a question, whether it’s for confirmation or his thought… I think it’s super cool.”
That sounds good on paper. But it’s hard to ignore the context. Watson has only played 12 games over the past two seasons. The Browns endured a painful 3-14 campaign in 2024, and with $230 million guaranteed tied to Watson‘s name, his underwhelming output is wearing thin on fans and front office alike.
Meanwhile, Sanders is making the most of his reps in OTAs. Reports from practice note that he’s been sharp, even tossing three touchdowns in multiple sessions. Still, despite the hype, the Browns haven’t publicly committed to giving Sanders a serious shot at the starting job.
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