The Browns made the biggest gamble of their history by signing a 5-year $230 million fully guaranteed contract with Deshaun Watson. It backfired immediately as the league banned him from 11 games because of allegations of misbehavior with women. In 2024, an Achilles injury forced him to miss the remaining season after week 7. But the implications are not letting them rest.
After he re-injured his Achilles tendon in early January, the Browns are trying to move on. GM Andrew Berry is tasked with finding a new QB. But On February 17, the NFL insider Judy Battista made a bombshell revelation as she said, “It certainly appears that Deshaun Watson will not be their quarterback, at least to start this season and perhaps for the entire season. And maybe he never plays for the Cleveland Browns again. With that in mind, they’ve got to get a quarterback whether it is a veteran or they them up to take another player.”
His future looks set in stone as the chances of him playing again for the Browns seem very low. The first hint came when the Browns claimed they were looking into how Deshaun Watson got injured again. Watson may have violated his contract leading to the re-injury of his Achilles. They cited the terms and conditions of his contract, claiming they could immediately void his contract and not need to pay the $92 million remaining on his salary.
However, the issue is also about the quarterback. The front office has already claimed that they aren’t looking into a ‘generational QB’. Most people believed that it was aimed at Shedeur Sanders, the son of Deion Sanders. The situation has become complex for them with veteran DE Myles Garrett rocking the Browns ship by announcing his intention to move out of the franchise.
However, the GM is ready to take on whatever comes his way. He already seems to have circled in on a suitable replacement for the DE.
Deshaun Watson’s teammate might get replaced in the 2025 Draft
By finishing 31st in the 2024 season, the Browns have got the 2nd pick in the 2025 NFL Draft order. It gives them a great chance of preparing a good roster. PFF’s Jordan Plocher claimed that Berry could definitely replace Garrett in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Image credits: Social media, taken from Instagram @Myles Garrett
He named the Penn State DE Abdul Carter as a premier replacment and remarked, “The Browns kick off the post-Myles Garrett era by selecting a premier edge rusher. Carter was dominant in 2024, earning a stellar 92.3 PFF pass-rushing grade while racking up 13 sacks, 10 quarterback hits and 43 hurries on 352 pass-rushing snaps.” That would be incredible!
However, the GM has said that he would not allow Garrett to leave the side. If they somehow get Carter alongside the veteran DE, it would be an epic move. But the question remains. Can they really do it? The chances of them becoming a Super Bowl contender are low until they sort out the most important position: the quarterback! Not only could they do with freeing up that salary cap, they could also build in the right direction and take a decisive call on Garrett.
The post Browns Rumors: Deshaun Watson’s Future Set in Stone as Andrew Berry Turns to NFL Draft for Myles Garrett’s Replacement appeared first on EssentiallySports.