In the middle of a season that was filled with turmoil and scrutiny, Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson went down with a brutal torn Achilles that has ended his 2024-25 season. Watson was initially replaced by Dorian Thompson-Robinson, but longtime veteran Jameis Winston got the start in relief of Watson last Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.
Watson now faces a long road to recovery that could bleed into next season. Recent examples of this injury include Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers, who both suffered torn Achilles last season. Neither one missed any time this season, but both looked less than 100% healthy to begin the year.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed on Friday that Watson is doing his rehab at the team facility in Berea, OH and that he’s ready for a return, according to Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot.
“Browns Kevin Stefanski said Deshaun Watson is rehabbing from Achilles surgery here in the building in Berea; has said he plans to battle back from the injury,” Cabot reported on X, formerly Twitter.
Watson wasn’t having a great season before the injury, as the Browns won just one out of his seven starts and Watson was consistently unable to drive an efficient passing game, even before star wide receiver Amari Cooper was traded.
Jameis Winston has injected life into the Browns
The Browns looked like a completely different team on Sunday with Jameis Winston at quarterback as they picked up a shocking win over the Baltimore Ravens. Cleveland’s win was one of the biggest upsets in the NFL this season, and Winston was right at the center of it.
Winston definitely brought a tangible improvement to the passing game and was an upgrade from what the Browns had been getting from Deshaun Watson before he went down with an injury. While Winston probably should have thrown at least one interception (he got lucky with some drops), the fact that he was able and willing to push the ball down the field and create big plays was a major change from what the unit had looked and felt like before he was in the lineup.
On an intangible level, Winston looked like he gave the team a lift. He is a favorite amongst his teammates in the locker room and has been one of the vocal leaders on the team even when he was the backup. Even the Browns defense, which Winston is obviously not apart of, seems energized and played much better football on Sunday.
It’s likely too late for the Browns to make any sort of playoff push, as they still sit at just 2-6. However, having Winston at quarterback gives the team a completely different feel. For the first two months of the season, the Browns felt like a layup for any team that was fortunate enough to get them on the schedule, but they should now be a tough out for just about anybody.
