Will the Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson play against the Indianapolis Colts in NFL Week 7?
It’s a bit of a mixed bag for the Browns. On one side, their star QB has returned to training. On the other, he’s still a doubt for this weekend’s game.
The situation surrounding the three-time Pro-Bowler’s injury has been unclear at best. What’s certain, however, is that he himself is unsure as to whether he will be available to the team for Week 7 of the season.
Deshaun Watson returns to practice but there’s a catch
If you’re a Cleveland Browns fan, then it’s highly likely that you’re wondering why it is that a few weeks after being cleared to play following a shoulder injury, starting quarterback Deshaun Watson is yet to take the field. Having missed the team’s last two games, Watson returned to practice on Thursday - a good thing - however, the 28-year-old admitted that he himself was unsure of his availability for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.
“I think so,” Watson said at the time. “It just depends on the process of the medical stuff and the treatment and the rehab that we’re doing day to day. It’s up in the air for sure.”
You will recall that the former passing yards leader (2020) suffered what he referred to as a “micro-tear” of his rotator cuff during Week 3′s clash with the Tennessee Titans. As a result, Watson did not play in the team’s Week 4 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, though it’s worth noting that head coach Kevin Stefanski stated that his signal caller’s shoulder was structurally intact. The Browns then had a Week 5 bye which made Watson’s absence in Week 6 all the more alarming. It was P.J. Walker who stepped in for him in a game that the Browns managed to win 19-17 against the San Francisco 49ers
So, when will Deshaun Watson play?
That’s the question in need of answering and from the sounds of it, the man himself isn’t sure. “I’m not sure,” the Watson said. “This is my first time dealing with a rotator cuff. ...It could be tomorrow, it could be Sunday, it could be two weeks from now. I’m not even sure. I can’t put a timeline on anything right now.”
It goes without saying that the Browns’ chances of any form of success this season depend on Watson’s arm. While he can be given credit for stating that he will not put the team “in jeopardy” by playing before he’s fully fit, the reality is with a 2-1 start in the three games he started, one has to ask, ‘when he will come good?’ Consider for a moment that we’re talking about a player who is in the second year of a fully guaranteed $230 million contract, and in all fairness looked to be worth it when he signed the deal last offseason. Yes, there have been recent off-field controversies, but football is the focus here. The Browns need more from their man in the middle and that’s that. In the meantime, it appears that the team will once again have to rely on P.J. Walker who performed credibly in their Week 6 win, but were it not for the team’s impressive defense, would likely have orchestrated a loss.