Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is not going to play within the workforce’s Week 4 sport in opposition to the Ravens, as Josina Anderson of CBS Sports activities stories. Watson is coping with a proper shoulder contusion, and whereas participant and workforce hoped that he would be capable to play by means of the damage, that won’t be the case.
Watson struggled by means of the primary two video games of the 2023 season, however in Week 3, he appeared just like the Professional Bowler the Browns believed they had been getting after they made the now-infamous determination to commerce a king’s ransom for the embattled quarterback and hand him a fully-guaranteed five-year, $230M contract in March 2022. In Cleveland’s 27-3 romp over the Titans final week, Watson accomplished 27 of 33 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns.
As James Palmer of the NFL Community notes, Watson didn’t throw a lot in follow this week as he tried to relaxation his shoulder. Throughout at this time’s pregame warmup and throwing session, it grew to become clear that he was not wholesome sufficient to go well with up.
Fifth-round rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson will get the nod in Watson’s absence, and he shall be tasked with main the workforce in an necessary divisional matchup. The Browns had initially deliberate to have Josh Dobbs function Watson’s backup this yr, however when the QB-needy Cardinals made an “out-of-the-blue” commerce provide for Dobbs on the finish of August, Cleveland determined to tug the set off on the commerce and elevate Thompson-Robinson to the QB2 function.
Clearly, that call indicated that the Browns had been comfy with Thompson-Robinson being referred to as into motion in his first skilled season. Thompson-Robinson justified that religion with a robust preseason wherein he accomplished 37 of 58 passes for 2 touchdowns and added 14 carries for 69 yards.
Though he didn’t all the time seem like an NFL prospect throughout his collegiate profession at UCLA, Thompson-Robinson put himself on the radar throughout his closing season with the Bruins, finishing slightly below 70% of his passes and throwing for 27 TDs in opposition to 10 interceptions. He additionally rushed for 645 yards and 12 touchdowns whereas sustaining a wholesome 5.5 yards-per-carry charge.
DTR will a minimum of have Cleveland’s prime tight finish at his disposal. After struggling burns to his face and arm throughout a family accident this week, David Njoku is predicted to play in opposition to Baltimore.
The Browns have a Week 5 bye, and on condition that they had been optimistic Watson would play this week, it appears cheap to anticipate Watson to take the sphere in opposition to the 49ers in Week 6. Nonetheless, it’s clearly too early for the workforce to make that decision.
