Browns GM Berry won’t commit to Deshaun Watson as starting QB for 2025 – News-Herald

Deshaun Watson is rehabbing another injury, this time a torn Achilles tendon, and for the first time since acquiring him via trade in 2022, general manager Andrew Berry won’t say Watson will be the Browns’ quarterback next season.

Berry is not abandoning Watson, who has played six, six and seven games in three seasons – often disappointing – but during a press conference on November 6, he only said that Watson’s return to health is the first priority.

“Our focus with Deshaun, I would say for any player with a season-ending injury and a major injury, is primarily on recovery and making sure he gets healthy from the Achilles injury. We will deal with everything else at a later time.”

Watson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury on November 12, 2023, during a game with the Ravens. Berry responded to the shoulder injury by saying a full recovery was expected and that Watson would be the starter in 2024.

#Tanning general manager Andrew Berry won’t hesitate about moving to Deshaun Watson in 2022. He also won’t talk about next season. pic.twitter.com/WkQTr6eCY2

— Jeff Schudel (@jsproinsider) November 6, 2024

Watson was the focus of the press conference that lasted about 25 minutes. Berry did not directly answer when asked whether the idea to trade six draft picks to the Texans in March 2022 was Berry’s or if it was a mandate from team owner Jimmy Haslam. Three of the draft picks sent to Houston were first-rounders. On April 24, the Browns, 2-7, will make a first-round selection for the first time since 2021.

“I would say this: Like we’ve always said, we were all on board,” Berry said. “Everyone was on board and obviously with great commitment in that regard, that will always be the case.”

When asked “Is there a world where Deshaun Watson can come back here and play more football for you guys?”, Berry’s answer was short:

“Yes, I think that is always possible.”

Watson was never embraced by Browns fans during his time in Cleveland. Part of that is the baggage he brought with him from Houston; more than two dozen massage therapists accused him of sexual misconduct in 2020 and ’21, leading the NFL to suspend him for the first 11 games of 2022 with the Browns. The other part is that he didn’t win. He is 9-10 starting for the Browns.

Watson was booed when the foul was introduced before the Oct. 20 game with the Bengals at Huntington Bank Field. Some fans cheered when he suffered an Achilles tendon injury in the second quarter of that game.

Berry made it clear that any decisions he makes regarding the Browns will not be determined by fan reaction.

“First and foremost, we love our fans,” Berry said. “We know they are passionate and they love the team.

“When we make organizational decisions, they will always be in line with what we believe is in the best interests of the franchise. Some of these will be popular. Some of it will be unpopular, but that’s really the way we’re going to deal with it.”

Two years remain on the five-year, fully guaranteed, $230 million contract Watson signed in 2022. He will make $46 million per year and has a salary cap of about $73 million per year due to salary restructuring in each of the first three years of his career. contract.