Browns Make Decision on Rostering Deshaun Watson in 2026 Season

The quarterback hasn't played since 2024.

Deshaun Watson has thrown 29 touchdowns against 11 interceptions in three seasons with the Browns. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

A new piece of the Browns' quarterback puzzle has reportedly fallen into place, at least for the immediate future.

Cleveland plans to keep quarterback Deshaun Watson on its roster into the 2026 season, according to a Saturday evening report from ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Watson, 30, has not played since rupturing his Achilles on Oct. 20, 2024 against the Bengals; he re-tore the Achilles shortly thereafter. In '24, he threw five touchdowns against three interceptions in seven games before his injury.

The Clemson product's tenure with the Browns has been the subject of considerable scrutiny. In the early part of this decade, nearly two dozen women accused Watson of sexual misconduct, leading to his eventual exit from the Texans (Watson was never charged with any crime, though he served an 11-game suspension in '22). Cleveland's March 2022 trade for Watson received a firestorm of criticism at the time for its public-relations and on-field components, and is widely considered one of the worst in NFL history.

This year, three quarterbacks have started games for the Browns: Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Cleveland is 3-9, last in the AFC North.

---

More NFL on Sports Illustrated

FREE NEWSLETTER. SI BTN Newsletter. Start off your day with SI:CYMI. dark

feed