Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is recovering from shoulder surgery, but things are looking better and better for him heading into next season.
Earlier this week, Watson said he is “throwing full speed” with no limitations with motion or velocity, according to Zac Jackson of The Athletic. He added that he plans to participate in OTAs on some level, but is mainly focused on getting ready for training camp.
Watson was knocked out for the 2023 campaign during the Browns’ Week 10 win over the Baltimore Ravens. He played in six games overall, throwing for 1,115 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions while completing 61.4 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 84.3.
Cleveland initially acquired the 28-year-old in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans in March 2022 and proceeded to hand him a fully guaranteed $230 million extension, an unprecedented move.
The problem is, Watson has hardly been on the field for the Browns thus far.
He was suspended for the first 11 games of his debut season with the club due to sexual misconduct allegations, and in the six contests he did play in 2022, he was uninspiring, totaling 1,102 yards, seven touchdowns and five picks while completing 58.2 percent of his throws and registering a 79.1 passer rating.
Watson, who played his collegiate football at Clemson, was selected by the Texans with the 12th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft.
He made three straight trips to the Pro Bowl between 2018 and 2020 and played at an MVP level in the latter campaign, leading the league with 4,823 passing yards to go along with 33 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. He also completed 70.2 percent of his passes and recorded a passer rating of 112.4.
Watson then sat out of all of 2021 due to a dispute with Houston before being dealt to Cleveland.
We’ll see if Deshaun Watson can recapture his old form in 2024.
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