Browns QB Deshaun Watson done for the season, will undergo surgery on throwing shoulder
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will miss the remainder of the 2023 season after he suffered a shoulder injury during the first quarter of Sunday's victory over the Baltimore Ravens, the team announced Wednesday.
Watson will be placed on injured reserve and the team says he has a displaced fracture in his right glenoid in his throwing shoulder and will need surgery to repair it. He missed four games this season because of a shoulder issue.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski announced that rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson will start when the Browns host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
The Browns said Watson underwent an MRI on Monday for two injuries that occurred in the first half against the Ravens. Imaging showed a left high-ankle sprain and another MRI revealed the fracture to the glenoid after Watson told the team's medical staff that he was feeling discomfort in his right shoulder.
Watson is expected to be fully recovered for the start of the 2024 season.
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Watson, 28, has won five of his six starts this season, completing 61.4%, of his passes for 1,115 yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions. He was 14 for 14 in the second half against the Ravens, rallying the Browns from a 14-point deficit.
During the past three seasons, Watson has only started 12 games.
He didn't play at all in 2021 with the Houston Texans after he made a trade request and reports surfaced alleging sexual misconduct with massage therapists. The Browns acquired him via trade with Houston in March 2022 and then gave him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract. He is owed $46 million in each of the next three seasons.
Watson was suspended 11 games in 2022 for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy after being accused by more than two dozen women of sexual assault and sexual misconduct.
What is a glenoid?
A glenoid is a very shallow socket located on the shoulder blade, according to the Mayo Clinic. The glenoid is located on the lateral scapula and fractures can happen when that portion of the shoulder is unstable. It is surrounded by fibrocartilaginous tissue called a labrum.
Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert suffered a fracture in his left shoulder last season and missed five games.
Most glenoid injuries take anywhere from six weeks to three months to heal, with a full return to physical sports contact after six months.
Who are the Browns quarterback options?
Aside from Thompson-Robinson, who will be making his second career start in Week 11, the Browns have PJ Walker as their options rest of the season.
Walker has started two games this season and completed 49% of his passes for 618 yards with a touchdown and five interceptions. He has led the team to victories over the San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis Colts.
Thompson-Robinson, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, has appeared in three games. During his Week 4 start against the Ravens, when Watson was injured the first time, Thompson-Robinson went 19 for 31 for 121 yards and was intercepted three times in a 28-3 loss.
What free agent quarterbacks are available?
There are a handful of veteran quarterback on the free agent market should the Browns decide to go in that direction. Among them are Matt Ryan, Nick Foles, Colt McCoy, Joe Flacco, Philip Rivers and Cam Newton.
McCoy was drafted by the Browns in the third round of the 2010 draft and played his first three NFL seasons in Cleveland.