'No setbacks' for Deshaun Watson injury, says of Amari Cooper, 'we want him back for sure'

BEREA — Deshaun Watson sees no reason why he won't be good to go when the Browns open training camp in a week. That would be eight months after the quarterback underwent shoulder surgery that ended his season a year ago.

"Yeah, I've just been taking it one day at a time," Watson said Wednesday during his foundation's 7-on-7 tournament at Berea-Midpark High School's Rohm Athletic Complex. "Everything's been set in stone as far as just me going out there competing. There haven't been any setbacks or anything that's holding me back from going forward so far."

The question for Watson is if his No. 1 wide receiver will be there when veterans report to the team facility on Tuesday. The status of Amari Cooper remains the No. 1 issue hanging over the Browns.

Cooper did not participate in the team's mandatory minicamp in June while seeking a contract extension from the Browns. The 30-year-old is entering the final year of the five-year deal he initially signed with the Dallas Cowboys, who traded him to Cleveland in March 2022.

There remains no extension in place as of Wednesday afternoon. Watson, however, said he feels confident that Cooper, who has had back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons, won't be a camp issue for the Browns.

"Amari's going to be good," Watson said. "And as far as the other stuff, that's their business. I can't get into all that. He knows that we love him and we want him back for sure."

Watson said Wednesday he had "most definitely" talked to Cooper in the month since Browns minicamp ended. He wouldn't get into specifics on those talks, and was equally vague in terms of how much the two of them have worked out away from the team facility.

One thing about which Watson was firm was his confidence in the bond he had with Cooper. The missed time Watson has had since being acquired in a 2022 trade with the Houston Texans — 11 games out due to a personal conduct suspension his first year in Cleveland, and another 11 combined last season for multiple shoulder injuries — has been viewed as a potential hindrance in getting him and his top target on the same page.

Cooper has caught 49 passes from Watson in 12 combined games for 848 yards and four touchdowns. However, in the last four full games in which Watson played, the 2015 first-round pick out of the University of Alabama had 443 yards and two touchdowns on 25 catches.

"No, the connection's been awesome," Watson said. "Me and Amari been, even with all the other guys, it is not like he missed a beat. Amari's always been there. We know what he can do. He's shown that. He's shown that over the offseason. And, yeah, the brotherhood, the love, the communication, none of that stuff has missed a beat at all."

Watson took a step forward in his shoulder recovery during last month's minicamp when he added 7-on-7 drills — on an every-other-day schedule — to the process. Before that, he was only throwing every other day in individual drills through the second and third phases of the offseason program.

The offseason allowed Watson a chance to get away. However, he did have an opportunity to get together with several of his teammates in a tropical location to continue the work they put in during the offseason program.

"Yeah, we enjoyed some good sun and worked out and got some guys together," Watson said. "So, yeah, the work has been good. The chemistry, the off-the-field [get-togethers], just hanging out, has just definitely been awesome. So just kind of been all over the world, just all over the place and, yeah, we've been enjoying the off season and just can't wait to get back and get the season going."

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ