Deshaun Watson has taken in the criticism and chatter alike, but the Cleveland Browns quarterback remains focused on returning to the field stronger and better than ever.
Watson has been documenting his recovery from multiple Achilles injuries. He initially ruptured his Achilles in October and did so again in January during his initial recovery. Watson is expected to miss most, if not all, of next season.
The Browns have also publicly moved on from Watson, with owner Jimmy Haslam calling the 2022 trade that brought the QB to Cleveland a “swing and miss.” But Watson says he isn’t putting energy into what is being said.
“You know, everyone’s doubting me. Everyone don’t believe in me. They don’t think that I can get back to where I was,” Watson said in a video posted to social media. “So I know, and I believe the work that I put in. What I believe in myself, the peace that I’ve been channeling these last couple months, I know I’m gonna be way better than before.”
Deshaun Watson Says He’s ‘Prepared’
Watson was once one of the most promising quarterbacks in the NFL, earning three Pro Bowl nods. But off-field issues derailed his career, and he hasn’t been able to get back on track.
Watson holds a 9-10 record as the Browns’ starting quarterback. Over that span, he has thrown for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. His struggles were especially apparent last season before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury. In each of his starts, the offense failed to score more than 20 points, and Watson didn’t eclipse 200 passing yards in any game.
Watson said he’s thinking clearer now and reiterated he’s not listening to the outside noise.
“I’m prepared. And I think before I wasn’t prepared because I was kind of going with the flow of how the world was seeing me,” Watson said. “But you know, when you get knocked down to the ground and you got to stand back up and walk through the rain. That brings out the real fire, another challenge, the grit that you have. The biggest thing is really just my mentality. The things that I got to deal with the outside and not taking everything personal.”
Browns Still Sorting Through QB Plans
The Browns may be preparing to move on from Watson, but they don’t have a clear path forward just yet. Kenny Pickett — acquired via trade in March — is currently the only healthy quarterback on the roster.
Cleveland holds the No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming draft and could use it to select a quarterback. However, that scenario appears unlikely. Instead, Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter is widely projected to be the favorite at No. 2, with Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter also in the conversation.
Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are considered the top quarterback prospects in this class, but the Browns have shown interest in other options. According to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, the team hosted pre-draft visits on Tuesday with Jaxson Dart, Jalen Milroe, and Tyler Shough — all QBs projected to go later in the draft.
