Deshaun Watson's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & 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.

The Athletic's Zac Jackson writes that quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) is almost certain to never play a meaningful down for the Cleveland Browns again despite restructuring his contract last Friday to add additional void years down the road. The move creates salary cap space and flexibility for the team next year and pushes Watson's guaranteed money down the line, but it doesn't guarantee him any playing time in the future in Cleveland. Jackson believes it's clear that the Browns will be starting from scratch at QB next spring, especially given how bad Dorian Thompson-Robinson has looked in his two starts. Between suspension and injury, the 29-year-old Watson has been a disaster in his time with Cleveland and may not be ready for the start of the 2025 campaign. The good news for the Browns is that a loss in Week 18 to the Ravens should give them the second or third pick in next year's draft.

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Cleveland Browns and quarterback Deshaun Watson have agreed to restructure his contract. As a result, this will provide the Browns more relief on their cap space over the remaining years of the deal. However, this move also suggests Watson will remain on the Browns next season. Since making his Browns debut in 2022, Watson has seen his production decline significantly compared to the start of his NFL career when he was a Houston Texan. Across 19 games, Watson has held a 19:12 TD:INT ratio and has lost five fumbles. This season, Watson made seven starts before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury. Across this stint, Watson averaged just 164.0 passing yards per game. If Watson enters the 2025 campaign as the QB1, he should remain a target in deeper Superflex leagues but not in 1QB formats.

Despite being 3-10 heading into a Week 15 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Cleveland Browns expect quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles), reigning NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry to return in 2025, according to sources. Watson's role, however, is up in the air with the Browns moving forward after he suffered a season-ending Achilles tear midseason. Cleveland traded three first-round picks to the Texans to acquire Watson in 2022 and then signed him to a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract. Since joining the team, he has played in just 19 games and has posted a weak 80.7 passer rating when on the field. A post-June 1 release of Watson would create around $119 million in dead money, which would be the most in NFL history. The Browns are stuck with Watson for now, and he'll be off the fantasy radar coming off his serious injury in 2025.