Could Deshaun Watson play in 2025? Browns open 21-day window
Deshaun Watson’s 21-day practice window is open, raising questions about whether the Browns QB could return before the 2025 season ends.
After missing the entirety of the 2025 season so far due to Achilles injuries, Deshaun Watson may finally be on the verge of a return. The Cleveland Browns opened the veteran quarterback’s 21-day practice window this week, allowing him to take part in team practices and potentially reclaim a roster spot.
Deshaun Watson inches closer to season return
Watson hasn’t seen game action since Week 7 of 2024, when he ruptured his Achilles. A second surgery in January seemed to dash any hope of a comeback in 2025, but the Browns’ decision to start his practice window signals that the organization is at least entertaining the possibility.
The clock is ticking, though. Cleveland must activate Watson by December 24, or he will remain on the reserve list and miss the rest of the season entirely. With five regular-season games left, any return would be tightly timed and likely limited, but it’s not impossible.
Cleveland has had a turbulent season at quarterback. The team began the year with Joe Flacco as the starter, but he was eventually benched and traded to the Cincinnati Bengals. Rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders have also seen time under center, with Gabriel currently in concussion protocol and Sanders set to start against the Tennessee Titans this weekend. Watson’s return could further shuffle that pecking order, giving the Browns a veteran presence just in time for the final stretch of the season.
Though Watson has not played this year, he has remained closely involved with the team. He has been mentoring Gabriel and Sanders, traveling with the Browns for the first time this season during Sanders’ first NFL start against the Raiders. His presence has been a stabilizing influence, even if he hasn’t taken a snap in a game.
The opening of Watson’s practice window is a small but meaningful spark of hope for Browns fans. Whether he will actually return to the field remains uncertain, and the 3-9 Browns’ chances of a postseason are looking grim at less than 1%, but it still might give fans a reason for optimism to see a veteran back on the field.
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