With Browns QB Deshaun Watson missing 3rd practice of week, eyes shift to P.J. Walker.

BEREA, Ohio — When the Browns got to their stadium early Sunday morning before the Ravens game, the belief was that quarterback Deshaun Watson would be on the field. After his pregame warm-ups that revealed the shoulder injury sustained the week before caused him to be unable to throw at the capacity he needed to play at an effective level, the plan had to shift.

It was a last-minute adjustment for everyone—players and coaches alike. There was some preparation for rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, of course, with Watson entering the game as questionable and only making a few throws throughout the entire week of practice. But the rookie didn't know he was starting until that morning, a little after 10:30 a.m., just after Watson's warm-ups.

"It all hits you in the face when you find out a couple hours before and then you’ve got to go out there and everybody’s expecting you to be ready to play, and so I felt like my preparation was good throughout the week. But obviously, there are some things, you want to do more with the results you have on Sunday, but at the end of the day, I felt like I prepared my butt off," Thompson-Robinson said on Wednesday before practice.

Watson didn't play in that game and had the bye week to rest. Still, the injury to his shoulder, a contusion to the rotator cuff in his throwing arm, is not where it needs to be. Watson missed Monday's practice, working indoors through his rehab process. Tuesday was an off day, and on Wednesday, Watson missed practice again. He typically is scheduled for his weekly media availability on Wednesdays but did not speak this week.

Since sustaining the injury nearly two weeks ago, Watson has been considered "day-to-day." It's a situation that isn't easy to predict. There's no structural damage to Watson's shoulder. No tears or breaks. Watson being sidelined isn't about pain, either. The quarterback has played through that before, once with a broken rib and a partially collapsed lung.

His toughness isn't what coaches say is keeping him to the side.

"I would never, ever, ever doubt his toughness, ever. 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. "He's playing through an injury. He's trying to get better. He is getting better each week, and it's an injury to his main weapon, his throwing. So we will get him back when he's ready. Hopefully, it's sooner than later...if he can play, he's going to play. He's a fierce competitor."

The Browns say Watson's struggles are being able to throw the way he needs to. General manager Andrew Berry said during the bye week that early on, Watson was "not able to raise his arm." Since then, Watson is said to have made real progress through his rehab, doing some throwing inside and is "getting better each week."

All of that said, the more practices pass without him on the field, the more unlikely it is that Watson plays. On any given Sunday it's not out of the realm of possibility for the quarterback to miss the full week and be able to play. As a veteran and with the team confident in his grasp of the playbook, they would feel comfortable with him missing this much practice and still being able to play effectively. They say it just comes down to him being able to throw.

"He's a thrower, and it's a shoulder injury. It's like you wouldn't put a running back out there on the field if you couldn't run full speed, so it's kind of just got to wait till that thing gets healed up, and he feels good about it, and we all feel good about it, but he's doing everything he can. He's going to have to catch up, but we're not waiting. We got to go," Van Pelt said.

However, having not practiced all week and the issue lingering, league sources tell News 5 that there's an expectation Watson doesn't play this Sunday.

This week, the Browns named veteran quarterback P.J. Walker the backup for Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers. Walker has been taking the bulk of the reps, stepping in front of rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson for the QB2 spot this week.

After not looking as prepared as they could have been against the Ravens with the last-minute news of Watson not playing, this week has to be different. It was a lesson learned in Week 4.

"I think it helps a little bit, but I mean, that's the nature of all injuries in the NFL. It may be a week, it could be lingered to three—for everybody, not just Deshaun. So just being able to be flexible and again, putting your guys, whoever's available, in the best positions to win is what we're focused on," Van Pelt said.

Outside on the practice fields, the Browns are focusing on making sure Walker is up to speed with the playbook. They're making sure he's connecting with the receivers and developing some chemistry. He's not new to the game, but being with the team for less than a month makes him new to this system.

Taking on the Niners is a tough task for any team. San Francisco remains undefeated entering Week 6, ranked at the top overall and among the top in a slew of categories on both sides of the ball. Their offense—headed by quarterback Brock Purdy and fueled by guys like running back Christian McCaffery, wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, and tight end George Kittle—will be Cleveland's toughest defensive challenge so far.

But for an offense that has a changing situation at quarterback, the threat of San Fran's stout defensive front led by last year's Defensive Player of the Year, Nick Bosa, will make preparation that much more difficult.

For the Browns' offensive weapons, however, this is something they know comes with the job and something players like veteran wide receiver Amari Cooper have experienced before.

"It's just part of the game. This is my ninth year. I played with a multitude of different quarterbacks. I've been in situations similar to this before, so it's not anything that's surprising. You have to be very adaptable in these types of situations. As far as the challenge, I don't really see much of a challenge. I mean, obviously, communicating with a new quarterback who I haven't played in a game with before, but it's just the same. I go out there, I create separation, I catch the ball, I do my job," Cooper said.

Cooper said that he's been able to work with Walker this week to get used to him, but at the end of the day said, "It's just a ball coming at you that you have to catch. It is not, I don't really see it as a huge challenge. I don't see it as a huge challenge as long as I do my job."

If Watson doesn't play Sunday, which he's not expected to the Browns have to be able to game plan for Walker in the start. That work started this week and will continue into the weekend with the game fast approaching.