Browns GM sets record straight on Deshaun Watson

There are a whole lot of questions surrounding Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson heading into the 2024 campaign.

Is he healthy? If he is, will he play up to expectations?

Browns general manager Andrew Berry recently spoke about Watson and has a strong belief in him going into next season.

“We feel very good about the transition. He is in a good spot mentally and physically,” Berry said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. “Obviously, he’s been rehabbing the shoulder injury, but he is well on his way there and in a really strong spot. I think he’s a lot more comfortable within the organization. You know, we have a core group of guys on offense that have now played together for a number of years.”

Watson underwent shoulder surgery back in November and is expected to be ready for Week 1.

“We do expect to hit the ground running on that side of the ball, and I know he is very excited about returning to the playing field and getting over this injury,” added Berry. “We do have high expectations for him and the offense this season.”

Cleveland initially acquired Watson in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans back in March 2022 and handed him an unprecedented fully-guaranteed $230 million contract.

However, Watson has played in just 12 games with the club since then. He served an 11-game suspension in his debut campaign due to sexual misconduct allegations, and this past year, he appeared in only six contests before bowing out with a shoulder injury.

During the time the 28-year-old was on the field in 2023, he threw for 1,115 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions while completing 61.4 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 84.3.

The Browns did manage to go 5-1 in his starts, but they are obviously expecting much better production from Deshaun Watson in 2024.