Deshaun Watson, Healthy at Last, Says He Is Ready to Fight for the Browns' Starting Job
Speaking for the first time since rupturing his right Achilles in October 2024, the Browns quarterback declared himself fully healthy at minicamp and brushed aside owner Jimmy Haslam's infamous 'swing and miss' remark.
BEREA, Ohio - Deshaun Watson had not spoken publicly since the night of Oct. 20, 2024, when his right Achilles gave out against Cincinnati. On Wednesday, after the second day of Cleveland's mandatory minicamp, he finally broke that silence. The message was simple: he is healthy, he is back on the field, and he wants his job. 'It's very important to get an opportunity to start again,' Watson said, confirming he will compete with second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders for the Browns' starting role this summer.
How long has Watson's road back been?
Longer than most. Watson ruptured his right Achilles in Week 7 of the 2024 season against the Bengals, then suffered a setback that required a second surgery in January 2025 after the tendon ruptured again. That came on top of the season-ending shoulder surgery he underwent in November 2023, after getting hurt in Week 3 against Tennessee. By his own admission, Wednesday marked the first time he has felt fully healthy since that 2023 shoulder injury. 'It was a lot of ups and downs,' Watson said of the rehab. 'I just got to be patient.' Now in the fifth and final year of his fully guaranteed $230 million contract, he is finally practicing without restrictions.
What did Watson say about Jimmy Haslam's 'swing and miss' comment?
Not much, and that was the point. The Browns owner famously described the 2022 trade for Watson, which cost Cleveland three first-round picks sent to Houston, as a big swing and a miss. Asked about it Wednesday, Watson reached for a baseball analogy of his own, referencing Phillies star Bryce Harper. 'Sometimes he swings, he gets another opportunity,' Watson said. He also insisted there is no friction with ownership. 'The relationship is great,' he said, noting that Dee and Jimmy Haslam attended his wedding. For a player whose tenure has produced just 19 games and a 33.1 QBR that would rank last among qualifying passers, the soft answer was probably the only one available.
What does the quarterback competition actually look like?
Watson's main competition is Shedeur Sanders, who enters his second season looking to build on his rookie year. Sanders downplayed the battle on Wednesday, saying his focus is on his own development rather than the depth chart, and he praised head coach Todd Monken's competitive style. The dynamic is unusual: a 30-year-old veteran on an expiring megadeal trying to hold off a young quarterback the organization would love to see seize the job. Cleveland has given no public indication of a frontrunner, and minicamp reps in June rarely settle anything. Training camp in late July is where this gets decided.
Where does this fit in Cleveland's rebuild?
Watson is competing for the starting job on a roster that looks very different from the one he was carted off with in 2024. The Browns traded Myles Garrett to the Rams this offseason, bringing back Jared Verse and draft picks, and longtime left guard Joel Bitonio retired after more than a decade in Cleveland. The offensive line in front of whoever wins the quarterback job has been almost entirely rebuilt. That context cuts both ways for Watson. A rebuilding team has every incentive to play Sanders and find out what it has, but it also has little to lose by letting a healthy Watson prove the trade was not a total miss in his final guaranteed season.
Players in this story
Sources
- ESPN: QB Deshaun Watson eager to start again for Browns after injury
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