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Deshaun Watson will be in the running for the Browns’ starting quarterback job.
Deshaun Watson is getting to work after receiving backing from new Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken.
Watson, who recently went on vacation in Europe, was back on the field this week, preparing for his return. The Browns’ $230 million quarterback missed all of last season recovering from a twice-ruptured Achilles. He returned for three weeks in December to practice but was never called up to the 53-man roster.
Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com said Watson has been in communication with Monken and is starting to do some offseason work in Florida.
“The two men have already communicated, and are eager to work together once the offseason program begins in April,” Cabot said. “In the meantime, Watson began working out with his private trainer in South Florida on Monday, and will begin throwing on Wednesday with his private quarterbacks coach Quincy Avery and possibly some Browns receivers.”
Avery responded to the report from Cabot, sharing a video of Watson taking a snap and throwing.
Wild. Mary Kay Cabot knew I was working today before I did,” Avery said in the caption. “But she wasn’t wrong.”
Browns Looking to ‘Tap Back Into’ Deshaun Watson’s Pro Bowl Upside
Watson’s tenure in Cleveland has not been pretty. Since arriving in 2022 via a blockbuster trade, Watson has appeared in just 19 games. He’s gone 9-10 in those starts, passing for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
However, Monken is intrigued by Watson and tapping into the talent that made him a three-time Pro Bowler with the Houston Texans prior to his Browns tenure.
“You’ve got two young players that still have a long way to go in terms of development, and that’s part of the learning curve in the NFL,” Monken said of Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. “And then you’ve got a player like Deshaun, who’s coming back from injury and at one time was a Pro Bowl player, and an elite player in this league, that we would love to tap back into that, let alone with Dillon and Shedeur.”
Watson is heading into the final year of his contract. It could represent the final chance for him to get his career back on track.
Monken: Browns QB Situation to be Determined
Monken didn’t tip his hand on the Browns’ quarterback situation during his introductory press conference. When asked whether Shedeur Sanders — who started the final seven games last season — has an edge in the competition, Monken made it clear nothing has been decided.
“Well, I think like any position on the team, that’s still to be determined. Am I excited about Shedeur? Am I excited about all the quarterbacks in the room? Absolutely,” Monken said. “I can’t wait for them to get back and for us to get started.”
The Browns chose Monken as their next head coach over defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who has since resigned. Monken understands the mandate. He was hired to revive an offense that has been plagued by inconsistency and underperformance. Cleveland finished near the bottom of the league in most major offensive categories last season, averaging just 262.1 total yards and 16.4 points per game.
“There’s a reason why I was hired here,” Monken said. “Let’s not kid ourselves. I was hired to become elite on offense and that’s what we’re going to fight every day to be, and I’m fired up because I think we have a chance to really take off. I think the time is right now to take off and really build it the way you want, so you’re consistently competing for championships.”
J.R. DeGroote JR DeGroote is a staff writer for Heavy.com, where he has covered the NFL, NBA, and trending sports stories since 2019. His work focuses on some of the most passionate fanbases in sports, including reporting on the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Lakers. More about J.R. DeGroote
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