Adam Schefter assesses Deshaun Watson’s future with Cleveland Browns after Achilles injury

Quarterback Deshaun Watson was carted off the field in the second quarter of the Cleveland Browns’ matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. A non-contact injury that was confirmed on Monday to be a ruptured Achilles that puts an end to his 2024 season with the Browns.

The aftermath of Watson’s injury came with precarious dialogue as various Cleveland fans booed him after going down with the injury, which was followed by several teammates defending Watson afterward. A disastrous situation all around for the Browns as Watson’s recent play, pricey contract, and sexual assault allegations loom over it all. Which led to NFL insider Adam Schefter being asked if Watson’s future with the franchise could all come to an end soon.

“It’s possible, absolutely,” Schefter said Monday on The Pat McAfee Show. “And you look at that contract, he’s got to come back, wasn’t playing great, he’s going to have the surgery done on the Achilles. They’re going to have some decisions to make at that position.”

“First of all, are you telling me that the Browns aren’t going to go into the offseason and go place a high priority on drafting a quarterback as high as possible?” Schefter asked. “Of course they are, so let’s assume that they can turn their first round draft pick into a quarterback. Well now they’ve got a first round quarterback, we’ve got a quarterback coming off an Achilles injury, they might have looked to trade him in the offseason.”

The Browns notably signed Watson to a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed deal that ranks second amongst active quarterbacks in guaranteed money. Playing in just 19 games in three seasons for the Browns following an 11-game suspension in 2022, a season-ending shoulder injury in 2023, and his most recent injury.

“I don’t know how doable it would have been,” Schefter said about a potential Watson trade. “Obviously, they would have had to pay the bulk, if not all, the money involved or they would have had to compensate a team to try to take on some portion of that contract. A lot of variables, they all go out the window now that he’s ruptured his Achilles, so it’s a different dynamic.”

Watson led the NFL in 2020 with 4,823 passing yards along with a career-high 33 touchdown passes for the Houston Texans before requesting a trade from the franchise and not playing for the entire 2021 season. Ruled out of every game for non-injury reasons/personal matter following the emergence of sexual harassment allegations.

But even strictly on the field, Watson was showing signs of a downward trajectory prior to his most recent injury.

“So he’s going to come back, now he’s already had two ACL tears, now he’s got a ruptured Achilles. The burst that he had that made him a special player in Houston, that was not as evident to other teams when you had them watch him and assess him. Like he just didn’t look as explosive and as twitchy as he did when he played in Houston and now you’re coming off an Achilles,” Schefter said.

“The strength of his game was his elusiveness and the athleticism being displayed and the moves he made, all that’s compromised right now. Who knows what’s going to happen with this football future? Nobody can say that right now. He’s going to the have the surgery, he’s gotta rehab, he’s got to come back.”

However you slice it, there’s no doubt that Watson’s tenure has been deplorable in every which way for the Cleveland Browns. Definitely making his future with the franchise worth watching moving forward.