Overview
- Cleveland designated Deshaun Watson to return, starting a 21-day practice window and limiting him to individual work after multiple Achilles surgeries.
- Reporting from ESPN and NFL Network says he is unlikely to play in 2025, with any late-season activation viewed as procedural to aid his rehab.
- Sources say the Browns expect Watson on the 2026 roster due to his fully guaranteed deal, which carries roughly an $81 million cap charge and would create about $135 million in dead money if cut before June 1 (around $53 million post–June 1).
- The Browns remain focused on evaluating rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, with Sanders set for a third straight start against the Titans.
- League insiders have floated the possibility Cleveland could explore trading one of the young quarterbacks next offseason while weighing two first-round picks in the 2026 draft.