The professional football future of Deshaun Watson is as murky as it gets. The Cleveland Browns quarterback ruptured his right Achilles tendon in Week 7 of last season and then re-tore it three months later, undergoing a second surgery in January that makes him unlikely to return to the gridiron before the second half of the 2025 campaign. Watson had already been playing poorly last season prior to the devastating Achilles injury, coming off a major shoulder injury the year before. During his limited action last year, he threw multiple touchdown passes in a game just once—coming against the New York Giants—and failed to throw a single touchdown pass in three other contests. He never once topped 200 passing yards in an outing, while his dismal 5.3 yards per pass attempt ranked dead last among 39 quarterbacks who attempted at least 200 passes.
Although the Browns have since signed veteran Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, and invested mid-round draft capital in Dillon Gabriel in the third round and Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round, the organization still has substantial financial and contractual capital invested in Watson. That significant investment means the franchise could still consider plugging him back in as the starting signal-caller if and when he eventually regains his health. On the offensive side of the ball, wide receiver Jerry Jeudy returns to the fold, and the team used a draft pick on tight end Harold Fannin to join veteran pass-catcher David Njoku. Beyond those primary targets, however, it remains a rather lackluster receiving group. Watson has managed to play in just 19 total games over the last four years, creating profound uncertainty regarding how many more professional snaps he will ultimately take.
The trajectory of Watson’s tenure in Cleveland has been defined by a brutal string of health setbacks. For the second consecutive season, his year was abruptly cut short after just six games. This time, the culprit was a series of shoulder injuries, culminating in a fracture that ended his season entirely by Week 10. The underlying statistics from that stretch closely mirrored the disappointing numbers he produced during his first year with the club. His 69.0 percent on-target throw rate was less than a percentage point higher than his 2022 output, ranking 31st among quarterbacks with at least 170 pass attempts. His yards per pass attempt remained stagnant at 6.5, placing him 28th in the league.
The primary statistical difference was that Watson attempted to stretch the field vertically far more often last year. His average target depth jumped a full two yards to 9.2, good for third in the league, and 12.9 percent of his pass attempts traveled at least 20 yards downfield—also ranking third—a massive leap from just 5.3 percent and a 35th-place finish in 2022. That approach amounted to more than two extra deep shots per game. Unfortunately for the offense, it changed very little on the scoreboard, as Watson accumulated only 13 more passing yards than the year prior and the exact same number of touchdown passes, sitting at just seven.
Perhaps he will eventually rediscover his ability to consistently push the ball downfield, reminiscent of his glory years with the Houston Texans when his average target depth hovered around 9.0 yards and he completed those deep passes at a remarkably high rate. At the very least, he has previously been surrounded by an impressive collection of playmakers designed to help make explosive plays happen, given that the Browns previously traded for Jerry Jeudy to complement wideouts Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore, tight end David Njoku, and running back Nick Chubb. Furthermore, Watson’s rushing production remained steady over those two years, averaging 26.5 rushing yards per game—which would prorate to 450 yards over a full 17-game schedule. If he can somehow get his passing game back on track once healthy, there remains a faint chance he could recapture some semblance of the dynamic quarterback he was during his stellar first four professional seasons.
When Watson finally made his return under center in Week 13 of that particular season, he looked every bit like a player who had not seen live game action in a year and a half. Among 38 quarterbacks with at least 170 pass attempts, Watson ranked 32nd in on-target percentage at 68.2 and a lowly 36th in overall completion percentage at 58.2. He failed to top the 200-yard passing mark in four of his six total appearances, while his 6.5 yards per pass attempt tied for 32nd across the league.
Watson struggled mightily when attempting to throw deep, completing only four of 17 pass attempts traveling beyond 20 yards, tossing just one touchdown against two interceptions on those plays. On a more positive note, he managed to rush for 175 yards, demonstrating that at least a portion of his dynamic mobility remained fully up to the task. Regaining his pre-suspension arm talent and timing was always going to be a matter of accumulating necessary repetitions. Watson had missed the entire offseason program that year, and after participating in training camp, he was forced away from the team facility for a grueling three-month hiatus.
That exceptionally long layoff from competitive game action was widely viewed as the primary culprit behind his noticeably slower processing speed. During that stretch, Watson averaged a league-high 3.27 seconds to release the football, directly contributing to his on-field struggles. Additionally, he had stepped into an offensive scheme that was originally tailored to the specific skill set of veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett. In subsequent years, the offensive scheme shifted to better fit his preferences, and he gained additional weapons after the franchise traded for Elijah Moore and spent a third-round pick on rookie Cedric Tillman to join Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones at wide receiver. With standout running back Nick Chubb returning from a prolific 1,500-yard rushing campaign and tight end David Njoku coming off a career-best 58-reception season, analysts suggested it did not take an unrealistic leap of faith to envision Watson returning to form as a top-10 fantasy quarterback, if not returning to the elite top-5 tier he occupied from 2018 through 2020.
The journey to Northeast Ohio began after a turbulent exit from Houston. Following a year spent essentially in professional purgatory, Watson was reborn in Cleveland—not exactly paradise, though a massive $230 million fully guaranteed contract certainly went a long way toward smoothing the transition. However, his highly anticipated regular-season debut with his new franchise was initially delayed by a lengthy 11-game suspension levied under the NFL’s personal conduct policy. To acquire Watson via trade, the Browns surrendered a massive haul of six draft picks, including three precious first-round selections, having finally closed the book on 2018 No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield, whom the team ultimately traded to the Carolina Panthers in July.
What the Browns ultimately secured was a proven dual-threat quarterback equipped with a powerful arm and historically impressive accuracy on throws downfield. Naturally, the rust of missing a full calendar year of football was evident early on, but back in 2020, he had led the entire National Football League in passing yards, finishing the campaign as a top-5 fantasy quarterback for the third consecutive season. The front office aggressively surrounded him with talent, signing wide receiver Amari Cooper and fostering high expectations for Donovan Peoples-Jones to step into a prominent role as a vertical deep threat, even if the overall wide receiver corps lacked substantial depth. That lack of surrounding depth had never truly slowed Watson down during his peak years in Houston, where he maintained elite production even after the departure of star wideout DeAndre Hopkins.
The tumultuous offseason preceding his final year in Houston had initially placed Watson’s 2021 campaign in serious jeopardy. Back in January of that year, he formally requested a trade from the organization. By February, reports surfaced that he was prepared to sit out regular-season games entirely if he was not moved, and by March, he became embroiled in a severe legal controversy that ultimately threatened a major league-mandated suspension. Until those matters were fully resolved, fantasy analysts could only evaluate him as a high-risk, late-round draft gamble—realizing that if he somehow managed to play, he could represent an incredible draft-day steal, but if he missed time, he would be an easy roster cut.
On the football field itself, however, there was never any genuine question about Watson’s elite capabilities. During the 2020 season, he led the entire league with career highs in passing yards at 4,823, completion percentage at 70.2, and yards per pass attempt at 8.9. He also tossed a career-high 33 touchdown passes while throwing a career-low seven interceptions. The fact that Watson achieved those staggering numbers while playing on a deeply flawed football team that lacked reliable playmakers and suffered from season-long coaching ineptitude made the feat all the more remarkable. He posted a league-low 14.2 bad-pass percentage, which—considering his aggressive 8.9-yard average target depth, the sixth highest in the NFL—was an extraordinarily impressive display of precision.
As a downfield passer, he had few true peers across professional football. On throws traveling 20 yards or more downfield, he led the league with a 50.0 completion percentage, fueled by a stellar 56.5 on-target rate that ranked third overall, resulting in 10 deep touchdown passes. Combined with plenty of rushing production on the ground, Watson finished securely inside the top five in fantasy quarterback scoring for the third consecutive year. Football observers noted he likely would have repeated that feat easily had he played for a stable franchise, though the Texans spent months keeping him on the active roster as a healthy scratch until a suitable trade package materialized.
For the second consecutive year prior to that saga, Watson finished fourth overall in quarterback fantasy scoring, posting stellar numbers that closely mirrored his standout 2018 campaign. He matched his previous total of 26 passing touchdowns despite appearing in one fewer game, and he likely would have matched his total passing yardage had he not been rested in Week 17. His completion percentage, yards per pass attempt, and average depth of target dipped slightly, while his bad-pass percentage remained entirely unchanged. Notably, Watson’s total sacks dropped significantly from 62 down to 44, though that total still ranked as the sixth most in the NFL.
Fortunately for his offense, Watson remained uniquely dangerous when forced to scramble. He tied for the league lead in touchdown passes thrown from outside the pocket with eight, matching Jameis Winston and Kirk Cousins, and he stood as one of just five quarterbacks to average more than five yards per rushing attempt with a minimum of 50 carries. He added seven rushing touchdowns on the ground, tying Lamar Jackson for second among all quarterbacks behind only Josh Allen’s nine scores. While Watson’s elite rushing skills provided his fantasy managers with a remarkably safe statistical floor, his offensive ceiling appeared somewhat compromised following the stunning trade of All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals.
To offset the loss, the Texans acquired the frequently concussed Brandin Cooks—who was joining his fourth NFL team in six years and coming off the worst statistical season of his career—to serve as another big-play threat alongside oft-injured wideouts Will Fuller and Kenny Stills, while also signing reliable slot specialist Randall Cobb. While that group formed a decent foursome when fully healthy, it hardly made up for the sheer offensive gravity lost by shipping away Hopkins. Furthermore, the primary return asset in the Hopkins trade was running back David Johnson, whose peak years had occurred back in 2016 and who appeared visibly washed up during the prior season. With 34-year-old tight end Darren Fells returning after catching seven touchdowns, and second-year coordinator Tim Kelly taking over play-calling duties, the hope was that Watson might finally break free from head coach Bill O’Brien’s frequently criticized game plans, though pundits openly wondered what the young superstar could accomplish within a truly elite offensive infrastructure.
Just one year removed from major reconstructive surgery to repair a torn ACL, Watson showed zero lingering ill effects during the 2019 season, finishing comfortably inside the top seven in completion percentage at 68.3, yards per pass attempt at 8.2, and quarterback passer rating at 103.1. He continued to use his legs effectively as a runner as well, averaging 5.6 yards per carry and rumbling for five rushing touchdowns, which ranked third among all NFL quarterbacks. A struggling offensive line frequently forced Watson out of the pocket and into scramble drills, contributing heavily to a league-high 62 sacks taken—the highest single-season total for any quarterback since 2006—though scouts noted that a portion of those sacks were self-inflicted because he tended to hold onto the football for extended periods in search of a downfield play.
Despite the high volume of sacks generated by his aggressive playing style, Watson routinely created explosive gains by improvising away from pass rushers rather than simply throwing the ball away or settling for safe check-downs. His 9.2-yard average depth of target ranked seventh in the league, and his 10 touchdown passes thrown from outside the structural pocket trailed only Patrick Mahomes’ mark of 11. All of this production was achieved while working alongside a receiving corps that struggled profoundly to stay healthy, as Will Fuller, Keke Coutee, Demaryius Thomas, and Bruce Ellington each missed substantial time by playing no more than seven games apiece.
The Houston front office expressed optimism that Fuller and Coutee would be fully recovered for Week 1 of the following year, and the team bolstered the offense further by trading for pass-catching running back Duke Johnson late in the summer. While the offensive line remained a persistent question mark, the unit was expected to benefit immediately from the selection of left tackle Tytus Howard with the 23rd overall pick in the NFL draft. Observers believed that if the 23-year-old Watson took another developmental step forward—having already raised his completion percentage by 6.5 points the previous year—without abandoning his trademark aggressive instincts, he possessed all the necessary tools to challenge for the overall QB1 fantasy ranking.
It is a rare occurrence for a young quarterback to experience a true breakout campaign during his rookie season in the professional ranks. Yet Watson did not merely break out; he was actively discussed as a legitimate Most Valuable Player candidate before suffering a devastating torn ACL midway through the year. Through the first eight weeks of that season, Watson was tied for first place in the entire league in touchdown passes, ranked second in yards per pass attempt, and led all quarterbacks in rushing production, steering the league’s most prolific offense to an average of 30.7 points per game.
Watson displayed a rare level of poise from inside the pocket and proved to be arguably the most effective quarterback in the league when facing heavy defensive blitzes. He led all signal-callers in yards per pass attempt at 9.5 when blitzed and ranked second in completion percentage at 65.6 percent, trailing only future Hall of Famer Drew Brees, while posting a league-high 134.5 passer rating that stood nearly 22 points higher than the next closest competitor. Furthermore, the 22-year-old Watson tossed seven touchdowns without throwing a single interception when opponents brought extra pass rushers.
He was equally formidable as a downfield distributor, ranking fifth in completion percentage on pass attempts traveling more than 20 yards downfield among quarterbacks with at least 20 attempts, though he did toss five interceptions on those deep shots. If there was one glaring area where he needed refinement, it was raw passing accuracy. Had he accumulated enough qualifying attempts, Watson would have finished 20th in overall completion percentage, sitting just ahead of veteran Eli Manning, while his 3.9 interception rate would have stood as the third highest in the league. Because Watson had displayed high-level accuracy throughout his collegiate career at Clemson, talent evaluators considered it entirely reasonable to expect marked improvement in his second professional season.
With star wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller slated to return alongside him—assuming his medical recovery went according to plan—the biggest lingering concern for the franchise was simply ensuring his long-term health. Team leadership remained entirely confident that Watson would be fully cleared and ready to take the field for Week 1, with the quarterback himself confirming during a mid-July media session that he fully expected to be a full participant at the opening of training camp.
The road for the franchise truly began when the Texans executed a draft-day trade, sending their 2018 first-round pick alongside additional capital to move up 13 spots and select Watson 12th overall, firmly believing they had finally located their long-awaited franchise quarterback. Incumbent veteran Tom Savage entered Week 1 as the designated starter, but scouts and analysts recognized that if Savage struggled early on, it would be virtually impossible to keep the dynamic rookie off the field. Savage himself offered little proven production, having made just two starts across three years while posting a 60.9 career completion percentage over five total game appearances.
While Watson’s natural upside was undeniably high, evaluators noted that his athletic profile also provided a remarkably safe floor due to his extraordinary running ability. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 221 pounds, the dual-threat quarterback was an exceptional athlete capable of throwing accurately on the run or tucking the football away to create yardage with his legs. Within Clemson’s spread offensive system, he had not been required to read the entire width of the professional field, occasionally displaying inconsistent decision-making and mechanical accuracy that contributed to 32 interceptions across 38 collegiate games.
However, professional scouts emphasized that raw accuracy, particularly on deep throws, could be readily corrected through mechanical adjustments and refined footwork as he successfully transitioned into a pro-style offense operating primarily from under center. Watson’s innate poise under pressure and natural leadership qualities had thoroughly impressed the Texans’ front office, a franchise that had cycled through numerous journeyman quarterbacks in preceding years while relying heavily on a stellar defense. Armed with a solid supporting cast featuring running back Lamar Miller in the backfield and elite receiver DeAndre Hopkins out wide, the organization laid the foundational groundwork for the high-profile era that ultimately defined the franchise’s trajectory for years to come.
