The Cleveland Browns are facing the possibility of being without Deshaun Watson for yet another week. Watson has been absent for most of the last four games, which includes a bye week of rest. He briefly appeared in a game against the Indianapolis Colts on October 22 but had to leave after just one quarter due to a hard hit.
While there’s an expectation that Watson will return to action soon, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com does not believe the Browns’ $230 million quarterback will be back on the field this week. Last week, Watson focused on rehabilitating his shoulder inside the facility instead of practicing with the team outdoors. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, in a Monday media briefing, provided no concrete information indicating Watson’s imminent return, stating, “He’s continuing to come along. We’ll make those types of decisions later on in the week.”
In the event that Watson can’t play against the Cardinals, the Browns will have to make a decision regarding their starting quarterback. PJ Walker has been the primary replacement for Watson in recent games, with two starts and a relief appearance when Watson was injured against the Colts. However, Walker’s performance has left much to be desired, and his turnovers have been detrimental to the team, including three turnovers in a game against the Seahawks, one of which led to the game-winning touchdown for Seattle. Stefanski acknowledged the importance of reducing turnovers, as the Browns lead the league in giveaways with 17.
Stefanski, who had previously been firm about Walker being the starter in Watson’s absence, now seems to be considering other options. If Walker doesn’t get the starting role, rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson might get the opportunity. Stefanski indicated that decisions regarding the roster would be made later in the week.
Thompson-Robinson has one previous start, which came against the Baltimore Ravens on October 1. In that game, he struggled, throwing three interceptions, and the Browns lost 28-3. However, several factors were not in Thompson-Robinson’s favor, including short notice before the start, minimal support from the running game, and facing a formidable Baltimore defense.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals are making a change in their own quarterback situation, with rookie Clayton Tune expected to start. Arizona had relied on former Browns backup Joshua Dobbs for the first eight weeks of the season but decided to switch things up after a 1-7 start. Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon mentioned that Kyler Murray’s progress would be assessed during the week, and if he’s unavailable, Tune will take the starting role. Tune, a fifth-round draft pick, will face a motivated Browns defense following their close loss to the Seahawks.
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