The Cleveland Browns have been one of the NFL’s most talked-about teams this week, beginning with Tuesday’s trade that sent veteran quarterback Joe Flacco and a sixth-round pick to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for a fifth-round pick, giving their AFC North rival a starting QB while Joe Burrow recovers from injury.
Meanwhile, the Browns are rolling with rookie Dillon Gabriel under center, but they still have Deshaun Watson, who is recovering from a torn Achilles sustained over a year ago in Week 7 and re-injured in January, requiring a second surgery, under contract.
On Thursday, Watson posted a rare workout video during his rehab, sparking debate among fans on social media about what could happen when he eventually returns to the field.
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“Browns law of science says the most Browns thing is usually what ends up happening,” a fan said. “The most Browns thing would be Deshaun comes back and somehow balls out to end the season and then what.”
Someone else added: “Tell me how much ya’ll all would lose your mind if Dillon Gabriel needs to be replaced and Watson plays before Shedeur.”
Another person wrote:”I’m starting to by the hype of DW4 again and I don’t like it.”
“Watson is like the bad guy in a horror movie, every time you think it’s dead it just keeps coming back,” one more fan commented.
Watson still has two years remaining on his contract, which the Browns restructured, though his salary remains largely unchanged. When originally signed in 2022, the deal, which paid him $230 million fully guaranteed, made him the highest-paid player in NFL history at the time.
Even if Watson returns this season or next, the Browns will face some tough decisions regarding their quarterback depth, including how to utilize rookie Dillon Gabriel and fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders on the roster.
Cleveland has two first-round pick in the 2026 draft, which is expected to feature five or six Round 1 prospects. If the team isn’t sold on either Gabriel or Sanders, it could use one or both picks to move up and land a new franchise QB.