Browns Report: Latest on Watson, Browns Practice From Berea
There is no topic in Cleveland sports right now that is consuming more attention than Deshaun Watson's injured right shoulder. Admittedly, it's simultaneously seems complicated and simple.
Watson elected not to speak with reporters last week, which certainly stoked the flames on the injury speculation. How bad was it? How could he be medically cleared to play, but deemed functionally not able to compete? It makes sense logically, it's just frustrating.
That seems to be how everyone feels about this situation.
Watson broke his silence on Wednesday, ultimately revealing that his rotator cuff is strained and that it has a series of "micro-tears" that are taking awhile to heel.
“It’s not so much the pain,” Watson said Wednesday afternoon. “It’s about throwing the football. I can deal with certain pain, but if I can’t control the football and throw it with more velocity or not throw it a certain amount of yards, then I don’t want to handicap the team.”
At one point, Watson said he could be back today, this weekend or in a couple weeks. He said this hasn't been an injury that he's been dealing with privately for awhile and he isn't sure how long it's going to take him to be back to normal.
“This is my first time dealing with a rotator cuff, so I’m just trying to get as comfortable as I possibly can to go out there and perform at the level I know I can,” he said. “If I can’t, then we’re going to continue to take it day-to-day. I’m not going to put the team in jeopardy if I can’t do certain things that are going to allow us to be handicapped in certain situations.”
“The arrow’s been trending up,” he said. “Each day, we’ve been trying to get better and better and get as comfortable as possible.”
Dustin Hopkins Named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week
There was one other piece of good news that came to the Browns today. Sunday's hero Dustin Hopkins was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week this week after he literally kicked the Browns past San Francisco.
Hopkins converted four field goals, including a game-winning 29-yarder with 1:40 remaining in the game. He connected on kicks from 29, 42, 46 and 50 yards. Hopkins also made Browns history Sunday by hitting a field goal of 50-plus yards in four consecutive games.
This is Hopkins' fifth career Special Teams Player of the Week award (three in the NFC and two in the AFC). He has made 12-of-14 field goals this fall and has made all five extra point tries he's attempted.
For the latest news on the team, check out the video above.
