Deshaun Watson's Status For Browns Matchup With 49ers Unclear, With "rotator cuff contusion"

Preparations for a huge meeting with the juggernaut San Francisco 49ers are underway in Berea, but the mysterious situation surrounding quarterback Deshaun Watson's injured shoulder took another turn, Tuesday.

While the Cleveland Browns have remained optimistic that the injury is not a "long-term" thing, the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero defined the injury as "a rotator cuff contusion," noting that his status for Week Six is uncertain.

#Browns QB Deshaun Watson remains day-to-day with what sources say is a rotator cuff contusion.

After a surprise scratch in Week 4, Watson spent the bye resting and rehabbing. He didn’t practice Monday, but did some throwing. Status TBD for Sunday’s game vs. the #49ers. pic.twitter.com/tREXg6r83U
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 10, 2023

Both general manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski have remained steadfast in sharing publicly that there's no structural damage to Watson's shoulder. Pelissero's report echos Stefanski's commentary on Monday that Watson is considered "day-to-day."

Watson sustained the injury back in the team's Week Three win over the Tennessee Titans. In the moment, the veteran QB stayed in the game to put the finishing touches of the best performance of his Browns tenure.

However, Watson was, according to Berry, unable to even lift his arm at the start of the next week. As things unfolded Watson attempted to throw passes at Friday's practice ahead of the Baltimore Ravens game, and told his teammates and media he was going to play. Come that Sunday morning, the 28-year-old QB and the team doctors determined, despite being medically cleared, that Watson couldn't perform at an effective level.

If Watson is unable to play, the Browns would have to choose between rookie Dorian Thompson Robinson or veteran PJ Walker to serve as their starting quarterback. After thrusting the former into action prematurely in Week Four, it appears the organization may be rethinking how they handle to the backup quarterback rotation.

According to Brad Stainbrook of the Orange and Brown Report, should Watson miss a second-consecutive game, the Browns will start PJ Walker this time around.

The #Browns will start PJ Walker if Deshaun Watson can’t play on Sunday, per a league source. https://t.co/6uC4oCqmS4
— Brad Stainbrook (@StainbrookNFL) October 10, 2023

As Pelissero noted, the former Texans QB, "did some throwing" during the team's first practice of the week. Watson's status on the Wednesday injury report should provide more and possibly concerning context to his status for Sunday.