Kevin Stefanski says Browns starters will play vs. Packers, but not Deshaun Watson

BEREA — The Browns will have their starters on the field on Saturday when they open the preseason against the visiting Green Bay Packers Saturday afternoon. That won't include the one who they're expecting to be their starting quarterback when the regular season opens a month later.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Tuesday afternoon the Browns would not start quarterback Deshaun Watson against the Packers. Jameis Winston, Cleveland's No. 2 quarterback, will start the game.

"Yeah, so we're going to play some starters about 10 plays, Stefanski said in a pre-practice press conference. "I talked to (Packers coach Matt) LaFleur, very similar to Coach LaFleur's plan. Some guys will not play, whether they're injured or coming back from an injury or my decision, Deshaun will not play in this game, but you will have some starters out there on Saturday night."

LaFleur had announced earlier in the day to Green Bay area reporters that he planned on starting his starters against the Browns. He said quarterback Jordan Love would be among those players starting.

The expectation is for the Packers' starters to play roughly the same amount as the Browns' starters. Stefanski wouldn't indicate exactly which starters wouldn't play beyond the injured ones, although he hinted that reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett would be among those not participating.

“You know, I don’t know if he (LaFleur) heard Myles wasn’t playing and changed his mind," Stefanski said. "I’m just kidding. But we talk and see what we need to get done, what they’re going to do, those type of things. But Coach LaFleur and I see it very similarly in terms of this game.”

Watson has participated fully in all but one of the Browns' 10 training-camp practices over the last two weeks. That includes Tuesday, when the team had to go into the field house because a severe storm and a tornado warning.

Tuesday marked 259 days since Watson underwent surgery to repair damage in his throwing shoulder on Nov. 21. The Browns have been pleased with his progress, even calling it ahead of schedule, but have not gone public with their plan for returning him to live game action.

“I’d say we have a plan," Stefanski said, "but we’ll just work that day by day but not going to get too far ahead of ourselves.”

Watson's almost certainly not going to play in the second preseason game on Aug. 17 against the Minnesota Vikings, not after having two joint practices with them earlier in the week. That leaves the one road preseason game, Aug. 24 at 10 p.m. Eastern Time at the Seattle Seahawks, as the only other opportunity to play before the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys.

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

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Kevin Stefanski says Browns starters will play vs. Packers, but not Deshaun Watson