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Does Browns GM Andrew Berry Think Deshaun Watson Will Be Ready Week 1?
The Browns QB told reporters that he'd be ready for the start of the season several weeks back.
Deshaun Watson said he'll be ready for Week 1 earlier this month. As the Browns star QB continues his recovery from shoulder surgery to repair a fractured glenoid in his throwing shoulder, general manager Andrew Berry isn't being quite as bold with his prognostications.
"We feel really good about it," Berry said regarding how the team feels about Watson's rehab. "I'm not going to make any predictions, just because you just never know. But that's certainly our expectation."
On Tuesday Watson provided his own update on the status of the shoulder, sharing that he was throwing the football full speed and that his mechanics and throwing motion are looking normal. Right now, it's about sticking to the plan mapped out by both team doctors and Los Angeles based surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache.
Watson may have declared his readiness for the start of the season several weeks back at the grand opening of Lefty's – a Michigan based cheesesteak chain restaurant in which Watson is a partner but he was a little less ambitious about when he'd be considered "fully health" this week.
"The plan is to come back whenever they feel like, and I feel that we’re ready," said Watson "So there’s not a timeline or a date that we have that this is when I’m going to be 100%. It’s just kind of how the process. It can be sooner than later, it can be later than sooner. I think it just really depends on how each landmark we hit and how fast we can get it and how my shoulder is reacting.”
Those landmarks will play out over the next several months as Watson progressively increases his throwing and ramps thinks up throughout the spring. For now, the 28-year-old is beginning the offseason program limited. So long as he stays the course with his rehab and things go well over the next few weeks there is a hope that he'll be a more involved in on field work during OTAs next month.
"We have a regular cadence, regular checkpoints," Berry explained. "This week, Deshaun was throwing up to 40 yards. He's in a pretty good spot. Again, I don't want to put the cart in front of the horse, but he's progressing as appropriate. We're really, really pleased with the work that he's put in and really pleased with how the shoulder's responding, but we're still in the middle of a rehab process, so we know that it can take different left and right turns. We're pretty optimistic in terms of what we've seen so far."
How Watson's recovery from shoulder surgery plays out leading up to the start of the regular season will be a central focus for those inside and outside the organization. The first two years of the Deshaun Watson experience has brought varied results for the former Texans QB, who cost Cleveland three first round picks.
Watson has appeared in just 12 total games due to a suspension in 2022 and then this past season's shoulder injury. He's completed just 59-percent of his passes and thrown for 2,217 yards and 14 touchdowns. The Browns are hoping 2024 is the season they start seeing a return on their investment.
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