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

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.

There's an "overwhelming likelihood" that Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) will remain with the team in 2025, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB. However, the Browns are expected to "work to put competition in the quarterback room, either through the draft or free agency," Breer said. This is an important development given that there has been significant speculation about Watson's future in Cleveland. Per Breer's understanding, Watson will be given the chance to recover from his Achilles tear and regain the starting role in Cleveland, but it won't merely be given to him as easily as it was ahead of the 2024 season. Rather, the veteran quarterback will have to get healthy and beat out competition if he has any shot at starting in Week 1 next year.

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Barry said "it's always possible" that quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) will return to play football for the team again after he recovers from his torn Achilles. Watson had surgery to fix his torn right Achilles last Friday, and barring a setback in his lengthy rehab, the 29-year-old signal-caller should be ready for the start of the 2025 season next fall. Before his injury, though, Watson looked like the worst QB in the league, completing 63.4 percent of his 216 pass attempts for 1,148 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions while taking a league-high 33 sacks in just seven games. Since joining the team in 2022, Watson has been injured and ineffective, completing 61.2% of his passes with 19 TDs and 12 picks. He's due $46 million in each of the next two seasons, which is a lot of money to pay an ineffective and oft-injured QB.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) underwent successful surgery on Friday. He's expected to make a full recovery. The signal-caller suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in the divisional matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals, ending his season. Watson had a year to forget in 2024-25, throwing for 1,148 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also completed only 63.4% of his attempts. For now, Watson will focus on his rehab efforts, although it will be a while before he returns to the field. But it's unknown If he's already played his final game as a Cleveland Brown. Without Watson at the helm, Jameis Winston will take over under center. While the Browns offense isn't the best, Winston has a place in multi-quarterback formats for Week 8 versus the Baltimore Ravens.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) is set to undergo surgery on Friday with Packers team physician Dr. Robert Anderson to repair his ruptured Achilles tendon, according to Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot. Watson suffered the season-ending injury in the Week 7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals and is facing a ninth-month recovery timeline. The former first-round pick by the Houston Texans did not flash in his first two seasons with Cleveland, and his 2024 season was off to a disastrous start. He completed 64.3% of his passes for 1,148 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions as Cleveland got out to a 1-6 record. Veteran quarterback Jameis Winston is expected to be the starter moving forward, and Watson's future with the Browns is uncertain.