Cleveland Browns DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) suffered a re-tear of his Achilles tendon and had another surgery on Thursday to fix it, according to sources informed of the situation. The re-tear comes less than three months after his original tear, and Watson could now miss the entire 2025 season. General manager Andrew Berry announced on Monday that Watson had suffered a setback in his rehab, but now we know that it's a pretty serious setback. Even if Watson can make it back at some point this year, there's an even bigger question about how he would perform after dual Achilles injuries. Since the Browns acquired Watson, he's played in just 19 of a possible 51 regular-season games due to injury and suspension -- he was suspended 11 games in 2022 following allegations of sexual misconduct. If he misses all of 2025, he will have played in just 19 of a possible 85 regular-season games.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) suffered a setback in his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon, according to general manager Andrew Berry. The development will delay Watson's ultimate recovery, but Berry couldn't specify what his timetable looked like. This setback is tough news for Watson, who has missed a whopping 49 games over the last four seasons due to suspensions and injuries. In fact, he hasn't played more than half the games in his schedule since 2020, which was his final campaign as the Houston Texans' starting quarterback. Amidst the injuries and suspensions, Watson has demonstrated poor performance, too. He had 1,148 passing yards, six touchdowns, and six turnovers through seven games before tearing his Achilles tendon this season, prompting fans to call for his benching. The Browns didn't look much better with a combination of Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Bailey Zappe, and Cleveland ultimately restructured Watson's contract to imply that he'll remain on the roster in 2025. He'll likely face the most competition of his career, though. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport previously reported that the Browns might look to bring in a veteran like Kirk Cousins or Aaron Rodgers, and they've also been linked to several top quarterback prospects after securing the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Even once he recovers from his injury, Watson's job is far from guaranteed, and his fantasy value is continuing to decline. Most fantasy managers in dynasty leagues will be forced to hold him, though, as it would be tough to find a trade partner who wants to take on an injured, struggling quarterback whose team is actively searching for his replacement.

Cleveland Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins made his lone field-goal attempt, a 23-yarder, and added an extra point in a 35-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18. Although Hopkins finished a tough 2024 season on a high note, he overall made just 18 of his 27 field-goal attempts for the Browns this past season. The veteran kicker still has three years remaining on the contract extension he signed before the season, although it wouldn't be a big surprise to see the Browns bring in some competition in training camp next year. That being said, an offseason release would bring a significant cap hit and dead money for the Browns which makes it likely that Hopkins is back with the team for the 2025 season.

Cleveland Browns tight end Jordan Akins caught six of his eight targets for 60 yards and a touchdown in a 35-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18. Akins caught Bailey Zappe's lone touchdown pass in the contest on a 16-yard reception in the fourth quarter. The veteran tight end turned in a strong showing starting in place of the injured David Njoku (knee) over Cleveland's final two games of the season, catching 12 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. Akins is an unrestricted free-agent heading into the offseason as he will hope to parlay his strong performance at the end of the season into a new contract somewhere in 2025.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Elijah Moore caught three of his five targets for 36 yards in a 35-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18. The veteran's production was good enough for him to finish third on the team in receiving in the season finale, putting the finishing touches on what was a disappointing finish to the season for him as he caught just 11 passes for 91 yards over his final five contests. That being said, Moore set a new career-high in receptions in a single season in the Week 18 loss, finishing with 61 to eclipse his previous high of 59 in 2023. An unrestricted free-agent heading into the offseason, Moore is unlikely to have trouble finding a job heading into 2025.