Browns GM won’t commit to Deshaun Watson as starting QB in 2025

BEREA, Ohio — Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry was noncommittal when asked Wednesday about Deshaun Watson’s standing with the franchise, as the quarterback’s struggles in Cleveland continued before suffering a laceration. right Achilles tendon that ended his season in Week 7.

“Really our focus with Deshaun, I would say for any player with a season-ending injury and a major injury, is first and foremost to make sure he recovers from the Achilles injury,” Berry said during a news conference with journalists. during the team’s bye week. “Everything else we will address later.”

Before the injury, Watson posted the lowest total QBR of any qualified passer in the NFL. The Browns went 1-5 in Watson’s six starts before the Achilles injury and did not reach 20 points in any of those games.

Berry, however, said the offense’s problems were not limited to Watson.

“We haven’t played well as a team and we haven’t played well as an offensive unit,” Berry said. “I think a lot of times when you don’t play well on offense, obviously your starting quarterback and your play-caller are going to take the most heat. But the reality is that offenses come down to organization and timing. It’s just “There are many points in common.” ownership in the different position groups in terms of why we didn’t perform.”

Since trading three first-round picks and giving Watson a fully guaranteed $230 million contract ahead of the 2022 season, Watson has started 19 games, with each of his last two seasons ending due to injury. He missed the final eight games of the 2023 season after undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder. He served an 11-game suspension to start the 2022 season after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions.

Since making his debut in Cleveland, Watson’s total QBR of 33.8 ranks 32nd out of 33 qualified passers, ahead of only Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers.

Berry said he “fully” supported coach Kevin Stefanski’s decision to continue starting Watson before his latest injury. When asked if the decision to trade for Watson was his or a mandate from ownership, Berry said, “We were all on board.”

The Browns still owe Watson $46 million in each of the next two seasons. Watson has a $72.9 million cap hit in the 2025 and 2026 seasons, both scheduled to be the second-highest in the NFL. Cleveland would take cap hits of $172 million and $99 million in 2025 and 2026 if the team parted ways with Watson after the season.

A year after finishing with an 11-6 record and making the playoffs, the Browns are 2-7, tied for the worst record in the league.

Jameis Winston replaced the injured Watson and Stefanski turned over his play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey in Week 8. A disappointing first half of the season saw the team trade two veteran leaders: wide receiver Amari Cooper, who was traded to the Buffalo Bills and defensive end Za’Darius Smith, who was traded to the Detroit Lions before Tuesday’s trade deadline.

When later asked if it’s still possible for Watson to return as the Browns’ starting quarterback, Berry said, “Yeah, I think that’s always possible.”

Berry declined to evaluate the deal for Watson and whether it was a good trade.

“I’m not really in reflection mode,” he said.