Steelers Rival Could Miss Starting QB for Multiple More Weeks

Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will not play this week against the 49ers, but he may not return even after this week, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports. Watson is dealing with a ‘strain-like deep contusion’ of his rotator cuff, which has forced him to miss two games. The Steelers rival were blown out against the Ravens without Watson and will now pivot to starting P.J. Walker after rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson struggled. Cabot notes that Watson could miss multiple more games with the injury.

Cabot reports that Watson is having trouble driving the football. Even when he tries to do that, he can not make those throws without pain in his shoulder. As such, the Browns will not play Watson until he is fully healthy and can push the ball down the field without issues.

In their last game without Watson, the Browns were held to just 3 points and 166 yards of offense in that game. Thompson-Robinson struggled immensely, completing 19 of 36 passes (52.8%) for 121 yards with no touchdowns, three interceptions, and a quarterback rating 25.3. Now at 2-3, the Browns have to turn around their season in the next few weeks, but the injury to Watson complicates those desires. The Steelers sit at the top of the divsion.

Before their Week 4 game against the Ravens, Watson was medically cleared according to head coach Kevin Stefanski. Yet, he held himself out for that game after feeling significant pain while throwing. The team assumed that he would get better and be able to play, but that never happened and he has seldom practiced since the injury. Even more, Watson’s throwing sessions have gone awry, with him having trouble throwing the ball effectively.

This week, they welcome the San Francisco 49ers. That is as hard of a game as they could have drawn with Watson out. With Watson’s injury looming, the Browns appaer in limbo as a roster.