Deshaun Watson has been cleared for contact and the Cleveland Browns quarterback has a hefty week of work ahead of him.

Watson has been recovering from shoulder surgery but has mostly been a full participant during training camp. Watson, along with many other starters and veterans, did not play in the Browns’ preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski gave a one-word response when asked if Watson has been fully cleared for contract.

“Yes,” Stefanski said on Sunday, August 11.

Stefanski said Watson has been cleared for full contact. There won’t be live tackling in the practices this week vs. MIN and starters won’t play Saturday, but that at least opens the door for Watson to potentially play in the preseason finale. https://t.co/bu58iE4zW3

— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) August 11, 2024

Stefanski also disclosed the plan for Watson this week. He’ll get most of the reps against the Minnesota Vikings in a pair of joint practices. However, he will not be on the field for the second preseason game.

“Similar to what we’ve done in the past,” Stefanski said. “He’ll get the vast majority of the reps. Again, not playing in the game on Saturday night. So, he’ll get his work done versus them in a controlled setting.”

The Browns have no shortage of quarterbacks. Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Tyler Huntley are all on the depth chart and will likely see extended time against the Vikings in the preseason tilt. Watson could see time in the team’s preseason finale on August 24 versus the Seattle Seahawks.

Browns QB Deshaun Watson Will be Ready for Week 1

Watson has played sparingly in the preseason since arriving in Cleveland. Since 2022, he’s thrown 18 passes during the exhibition contests.

There was a thought that perhaps Watson could see more action this year. He’s been out since November and could use the live-action reps to knock off the rust. However, the Browns appear comfortable with their current plan and expect Watson to be ready to roll for their opener on September 8 against the Dallas Cowboys.

“We’ve been very pleased with Deshaun,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said in July. “I think you’ve all seen that he’s really worked his tail off in terms of his shoulder rehab over really the past year, had a really strong spring. He’s done a really nice job here early in camp, so we feel like he’s in a great place both physically and mentally and look forward to a big year.”

The Browns traded a trio of first-round picks to acquire Watson in a 2022 trade and gave him a $230 million fully guaranteed contract. So far, Watson has played in 12 games with mixed results. He’s passed for 2,217 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson Shines in Browns’ Preseason Opener

The Browns lost their preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers, 23-10. The offense was sluggish for most of the afternoon but Thompson-Robinson provided a spark when he entered at QB.

The second-year passer completed 14 of 18 passes for 134 yards. He had a nice scoring strike called back due to a penalty but did help orchestrate the Browns’ lone touchdown drive. That ended with undrafted running back Aidan Robbins plunging into the end zone from 1-yard out.

“His whole thing is a process, so certainly those games are a big part of it because you get to go up against a different opponent,” Stefanski said of Thompson-Robinson. “He’s done a nice job of making every rep count, making every meeting count, and certainly had some nice plays out there last night.”

Thompson-Robinson had an interesting rookie year. He earned the backup role during the preseason, leading to the trade of Joshua Dobbs. With Watson banged up, Thompson-Robinson saw some action as the starter. He went 1-2 in his starts, passing for 440 yards, 1 touchdown, and 4 interceptions.

Watson is installed as the starter and Winston will be his primary backup. Thompson-Robinson and Huntley are battling to be the No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart.