The Cleveland Browns had a strange offseason that featured a four-man quarterback competition.
Now, two of those QBs are already gone, with Joe Flacco traded to the Cincinnati Bengals after he won the starting job over Kenny Pickett, thus resulting in him being dealt to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Lost in the mix is the highest-paid QB in the organization, who was supposed to be the answer long before this current situation.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski recently provided a significant update on Deshaun Watson’s recovery from his Achilles injury.
“He’s doing an excellent job with his rehab. … He’s working very hard. He’s doing a great job in the meeting room, he’s doing a great job in rehab,” Stefanski said.
#Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Deshaun Watson is doing an excellent job in his rehab. He added that he’s not concerned about what his players post on social media in response to Watson sharing videos of himself looking physically ready to return to the field. pic.twitter.com/x6NwbOjfx1
— Ashly Holder (@AshNoelleTV) October 8, 2025
There have been videos circulating of Watson looking good in his recovery, but a workout on an empty field is completely different than the rigors of an actual NFL practice, let alone a game, so there’s no telling how close he is to a return.
Comments from ownership and the fact that the team brought in four new quarterbacks this offseason would lead one to believe that the Browns are committed to moving on from Watson, but you never know with this organization.
Rookie Dillon Gabriel looked good in his first NFL start in Week 5 against the Minnesota Vikings, and that should be the focus going forward.
If he can continue progressing, he could be the franchise QB the Browns have been seeking for decades, while Watson could be looking for a job elsewhere.
NEXT: Kevin Stefanski Reveals Big Update About Browns' QB2 Situation