Cowboys at Browns Week 1: Is Deshaun Injury 'Weird'?

The Cleveland Browns are scheduled to play their final preseason game of the year against the Seahawks in Seattle on Saturday night. The initial proclamation from the Browns was that Deshaun Watson would start that game.

Since then, however, Watson has been held out of practices with “arm soreness,” and now he's sitting. What is going on in Cleveland, where on Sept. 1 the Browns are scheduled to play host to the Dallas Cowboys with a great burden on Watson's shoulder pads to perform?

Maybe the Browns are being conservative. Or maybe there is some "mystery'' here. But one beat writer in Cleveland has another word for it.

“The whole thing is weird, the vibe around this entire camp,” The Athletic wrote . “It’s just weird. It’s the only best word to describe it. It doesn’t make sense.”

Watson was cleared for full contact a couple of weeks ago but has not played a single snap in the preseason. With a surgically repaired shoulder, some think the Browns would want to at least get drive under his belt before opening the regular season.

“There were people in Deshaun’s camp who were making it sound like he wouldn’t play in the preseason,” the outlet continued. “And then Kevin comes out and says he’s going to play. Then Deshaun comes out and says it’s news to me.

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“And now Kevin backtracks and says we’ll reassess as we get closer to the game. Then Deshaun just shuts it down. Yeah, it’s weird.”

Watson has only played in 12 games in two seasons since being acquired from the Houston Texans in 2022. If Watson doesn’t play in the preseason and then comes out and plays horribly to start the regular season against Cowboys visiting in Week 1?

The Cowboys will take it; a win would be a step to solving some perceived problems here. But for the Browns? It could end up being a big problem.

Or maybe it already is.