Browns starting quarterback Deshaun Watson had to be carted off the field in the second quarter of the Week 7 game against the Bengals.
Watson injured his Achilles late in the first half. The Browns quarterback immediately grabbed at his ankle in pain while the training staff got on the field to attend to the star quarterback.
He had to be carted off the field as a result, and he will not return on Sunday.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson was the backup quarterback for the Browns today and came into the contest in relief of Watson. That is, until Thompson-Robinsonw as also hurt in the fourth quarter, resulting in Jameis Winston getting action. Winston was tabbed to be the emergency quarterback for Cleveland after he was QB2 the last six games.
At the time of his exit, Watson was 15-for-17 through the air for 128 yards for the Browns. Cleveland had yet gotten on the scoreboard, but a Nick Chubb rushing TD got the Browns on the board in the game against Cincinnati, making it 7-6 before halftime.
Cleveland ended up losing 21-6 to the AFC North rival.
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Here's more to know about Watson's injury.
Deshaun Watson Achilles injury update
Watson hurt his Achilles with 1:26 left in the second quarter of the Browns vs. Bengals game.
The Cleveland quarterback tried to scramble up the middle on a second-down play out of the shotgun, but he immediately fell to the ground in pain.
The Browns later ruled Watson out for the game with an Achilles injury.
The injury could keep Watson out even longer, as it's feared he suffered a season-ending Achilles tear, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
It's an injury that looked very similar to the Achilles injury suffered by Jets QB Aaron Rodgers last season, which kept him out of the entire 2023 campaign.
Watson missed time the last two seasons with injuries. He played in just six games in 2022 and also only six in 2023 as his health, and a suspension, kept him sidelined for a majority of those campaigns.
In his post-game press conference, head coach Kevin Stefanski said that it looks like a season-ending injury for Watson, though they will wait for tests to confirm.
Browns QB depth chart
| QB Rank | Name |
| No. 1 | Deshaun Watson |
| No. 2 | Dorian Thompson-Robinson |
| No. 3 | Jameis Winston |
1. Deshaun Watson
The Browns paid Watson to be their starting quarterback when the team shelled out $230 million in guaranteed money in 2022. It was going to be hard for the three-time Pro Bowler to live up to that contract.
So far, it's been a disastrous deal. Injuries plagued Watson's first two seasons in Cleveland, as he only suited up for a total of 12 games as a Brown in 2022 and 2023. After playing in just six games in 2022, he was in for just as many in 2023. In those six games, he completed 61.4% of his passes for 1,115 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions.
In 2024, Watson has completed 61.3% of his passes for 1,020 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions.
2. Dorian Thompson-Robinson
After six weeks as the emergency QB, Dorian Thompson-Robinson is QB2 for the Browns.
Thompson-Robinson is in his second season in the NFL. The UCLA product saw action in eight games last season for the Browns, including three starts. He completed 53.6% of his passes for 440 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. He also added 65 yards on the ground with his legs. The fifth-round pick from 2023 flashed in his rookie preseason, but was unable to grab a hold of the starting job.
He began this season as the QB3 on the roster, sitting behind Watson and Jameis Winston. However, he got the promotion in Week 7.
3. Jameis Winston
Winston has been the backup for Watson, until the sudden change in Week 7.
The veteran QB has appeared in four games for Cleveland, but he has just one pass attempt, which went for a 16-yard completion.
After four seasons as the backup in New Orleans, Winston inked a one-year, $4 million with Cleveland this offseason, giving the Browns a reliable option to back up Watson. The 30-year-old Winston saw action in seven games last season, throwing for 264 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions while completing 53.2% of his passes.
In his four years with the Saints, Winston started 10 times, with seven of those contests coming in 2021. He made the other three starts in 2022, and did not begin any game last year for the Saints with Derek Carr at the helm.
Deshaun Watson contract
Watson signed a five-year, $230 million contract in the 2022 offseason. The deal included a $44.965 million signing bonus and all $230 million fully guaranteed, the highest amount of guaranteed money of any player in NFL history.
With the deal, Watson has an average base salary of $46 million per year, making him one of the highest-paid QBs in the league.
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