As the Cleveland Browns prepare for their upcoming matchup against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, it appears they’ve received some good news regarding quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Speaking to reporters at the Browns’ team facility in Berea, star wide receiver Amari Cooper said he’s under the impression that Watson will participate in practice on Thursday. The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback has missed Cleveland’s past two games — which have been sandwiched around a bye week — with a shoulder injury.
“It seems like he’s going to practice today,” Cooper said, according to a video posted by Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
While Watson’s injury was initially diagnosed as a shoulder bruise and later a rotator cuff contusion, he revealed to reporters on Wednesday that he suffered a micro tear in his rotator cuff. The former Clemson star has been medically cleared to play by the Browns’ staff, but hasn’t been capable of throwing the football at the necessary capacity to play in a game since Cleveland’s Week 3 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 24.
After missing the first 11 games of the 2022 season due to a suspension following multiple violations of sexual misconduct, it’s been an up and down second season for Watson with the Browns. After playing poorly in the Browns’ Week 2 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football, he bounced back with his best performance in a Cleveland uniform, completing 27 of 33 pass attempts for 289 yards and two touchdowns in the 27-3 victory over Tennessee.
But after being limited in practice leading up to a Week 4 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, Watson ultimately missed the contest after going through a pregame warmup. Rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson played poorly in Cleveland’s 28-3 defeat to Baltimore and Watson was unable to return to face the San Francisco 49ers following the Browns’ bye week.
With Watson once again unavailable, Cleveland turned to former XFL star P.J. Walker, who was on the Browns’ practice squad. Behind a dominant performance on defense, Cleveland pulled off a shocking 19-17 victory over the Super Bowl favorites and enter Sunday’s road game against the 3-3 Colts laying claim to a 3-2 record.
