BEREA, Ohio — Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has been working through a shoulder contusion in his rotator cuff for the past two weeks. The hit that caused it came in the second half of the Titans game—a game he played through and played well. But the following Wednesday began an obstacle course for the quarterback as he and the team now await his return to the field.
On Friday, the Browns ruled Watson out of their upcoming game against the San Francisco 49ers, his second missed game with the injury. He had been questionable for the Ravens game in Week 4, but after pregame warm-ups, he and the team decided he couldn't throw the way he needed to and ruled him out. With the bye week following, Watson has been sidelined since. He hasn't practiced fully since Sept. 22, when the team was preparing for the Titans.
The week following the injury saw Watson limited each day, taking mental reps behind rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who started against the Ravens after Watson was ruled out. The next week was the bye, where Watson and his team had the week off. This week, Watson did not participate in practice at all, only working inside through his rehab process.
Watson's injury is in an unfortunate location. A contusion on the muscles that keep the ball of his humerus bone in the shoulder socket has inflamed the area. It's caused him limited range of motion and functionality, league sources have said.
Because of the location of the injury, the process of getting him back on the field isn't coming along as simply as perhaps other injuries have allowed in the past. The injury, while uncomfortable, isn't causing Watson any pain he can't handle. He's played through much worse before. A broken rib, a partially punctured lung, a torn ACL—all injuries Watson has had while playing in a game.
The Browns have stressed that it's not the pain keeping him sidelined.
“I would never ever, ever doubt his toughness. Never. I would never doubt his toughness. I’ve seen him play. I’ve seen him do some amazing things, fight through things. That is not the issue at all whatsoever," said offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. "If I’m a running back and I can’t run full speed, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to make it. I might be cleared medically, but I can’t operate with my strength, which is my legs as a runner. So, same as a thrower for him, I would never, ever, ever doubt his toughness. He’s tough as nails.”
As Van Pelt mentioned, it isn't the pain—it's the functionality. With the inflammation and the way the contusion is impacting Watson's shoulder, league sources have said it's limiting the way he can throw the ball.
For Watson, not being able to get zip on the ball, not being able to make throws he would need to in order to be a threat on the football field is what is behind his absence.
Throughout the week leading into the Niners game, Watson has been working through a process that will allow him to heal through the injury and get to a place where he and the team feel he can produce effectively with his arm.
He's been medically cleared, meaning there's no structural damage to the bone, joints or ligaments. His progress with the injury will come with the healing of the deep tissue bruise. Though medically cleared, however, Watson still needs to be deemed fit to play at the level he and the Browns feel comfortable with.
"Treat the injury, day to day. He’s making progress. He’s working very hard but just wasn’t ready to get to the level where he could practice and be effective just yet. But he’s making progress," head coach Kevin Stefanski said after practice Friday. "Based on how he’s feeling, based on what he’s able to do, is really what’s guiding his rehab and guiding our decisions.”
The quarterback is still considered day-to-day by the team, but the injury lingering for more than two weeks without massive progress opens the door for Watson to miss more time.
Watson won't play with his capacities limited to the extent he feels they are with the injury as it stands now. The Browns aren't going to put him out there until he can do what he needs to do in order to be an effective and efficient quarterback, league sources said.
Some of Watson's rehabbing will include strength training and stretching. He's also been able to work on his throwing, gradually increasing that from the limited amount he was able to do outside in the week before the Ravens.
While Watson hasn't spoken openly to the media since the morning before his first limited practice and before the injury was addressed publicly, in the locker room, Watson has shared brief updates. What he was willing to share was that he's working through the process and hanging in there as he does. He has an optimistic outlook but knows all he can do is keep working and wait.
The Browns have at least one more game without Watson as the Niners come to town on Sunday. Then, the Browns will turn their sights on their road trip to Indianapolis to take on the Colts.
When the Colts' week approaches, how Watson's shoulder is coming along may hold more clarity. It may not. He may be back at practice Wednesday. He may need to continue his rehab process.
Coaches have said Watson looks better each day, but better doesn't mean he's to the standard he wants or needs to be at—or that the team is looking for.
How the injury is playing out is complicated, but so is the location of the injury and how it is impacting the quarterback, who relies on that shoulder in particular to do his job. It truly is a wait-and-see game for them, as frustrating as that may seem.
At the end of the day, this 'slow-and-steady progress' is the only thing that will see Watson back on the field in game action. As they say, "time heals all wounds"—and that's what's left and needed for Watson's rotator cuff contusion.
