BEREA, Ohio — The Browns have made a decision on a plan for their first preseason game on Saturday against the Green Bay Packers, with head coach Kevin Stefanski announcing some starters will play—but their franchise quarterback, Deshawn Watson, will not.
Stefanski announced that, similar to the Packers' plan, the Browns will be playing "some" of their starters for around 10 plays. That will not include Watson, who will be sidelined for the game.
Watson is still going through his shoulder rehab, and while he is throwing every day this week, playing him in the first preseason game has been ruled out.
Backup quarterback Jameis Winston will get the start, Stefanski said.
Stefanski did not disclose the decision about playing Watson in one of the other two games.
Other starters, who Stefanski declined to list, will not play on Saturday, either.
"Some guys will not play, whether they're injured or coming back from an injury or my decision. Deshaun will not play in this game, but you will have some starters out there on Saturday night," Stefanski said.
Stefanski said that he did talk with Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, who announced that Jordan Love and other starters would play Saturday, but that did not impact their decision.
"As a courtesy, you talk to the other team, see what they're doing. I don't know if he heard Myles wasn't playing and changed his mind. I'm just kidding. But we talk and what we need to get done, what they're going to do, those types of things. But Coach LaFleur and I see it very similarly in terms of this game," Stefanski said.
The Browns take on the Packers inside Cleveland Browns Stadium at 4:25 p.m.
You can catch all of the Browns preseason games live on News 5.
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