Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey seems delighted with how quarterback Deshaun Watson is recovering from the shoulder injury that cost Watson over half of the 2023 season.
"You see him continue each day ramping it up a little bit more and more," Dorsey said about Watson after Thursday's practice, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "He threw the ball down the sideline, a vertical throw today, and that’s one I hadn’t seen from him a lot. We haven’t pushed him to do it, so that was good to see. The more he grows and feels comfortable with it, the more you’ll start seeing those things get ramped up more and more."
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski shared last week that Watson would throw "every other day" during this portion of the offseason program. Cabot mentioned that Thursday "was the first time in organized team activities that Watson had really opened it up" during springtime practices.
Cleveland hired Dorsey this past winter "to construct an offense that comforts Watson and maximizes his skill set." Watson inked a fully guaranteed five-year, $230M contract with the Browns in March 2022 but has made just 12 regular-season starts with the team thus far. He missed the first 11 games of the 2022 campaign while serving a suspension related to accusations of sexual misconduct.
Along with the hiring of Dorsey, the Browns signed Jameis Winston as their backup quarterback in March to make Watson feel more "comfortable" as the 28-year-old recovers from shoulder surgery.
"I’ve seen intentional leadership of [Watson] taking mental reps like he’s one of the best quarterbacks in this league," Winston said about the club's QB1. "I’ve seen a consistent growth and just him focusing on his shoulder routine, focusing on building that strength back and when he throws it, he spins it. So I haven’t seen anything of lack. I’ve just seen him just continue to grow, continue to lead these guys because it’s challenging when you’re not getting the reps."
By all accounts, Watson is on track to start when Cleveland opens the regular season with a home game vs. the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 8. If he experiences another serious physical setback or fails to reclaim his best form under Dorsey, the Browns could look to move on from the signal-caller as soon as March 2025.
