The Cleveland Browns entered the 2025 NFL season with a convoluted situation at the quarterback position. They had four pass throwers on their roster during training camp, including two rookies, and five total if you include Deshaun Watson.
Through the first five weeks, though, there appear to be even more questions than answers, and there is apparently a chance that the highly paid and highly controversial Watson could come back at some point this year.
Could Deshaun Watson Play During The 2025 NFL Season?
After their trade of Joe Flacco to the Bengals, the Browns now have two rookies at the top of their depth chart. Third round pick Dillon Gabriel was handed the keys after the Flacco trade ahead of Week 5, and threw two touchdowns in his first start in a loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Next on the depth chart is polarizing first year player Shedeur Sanders, who was a fifth round selection. His free fall during the 2025 NFL Draft seemed unprecedented at the time, but he has yet to show enough in practice for Cleveland to name him the starter despite the team’s overall struggles.
The Browns are currently paying EIGHT QBs.
• Deshaun Watson, $35.9M
• Jameis Winston, $2.2M
• Dillon Gabriel, $1.1M
• Joe Flacco, $999K
• Shedeur Sanders, $955K
• Bailey Zappe, $315K
• Dorian Thompson-Robinson, $171K
• Kenny Pickett, $8K(via @spotrac) pic.twitter.com/qoOsqbDYsS
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) October 9, 2025
Will the 1-4 Browns be rolling Gabriel out as their starter for the remainder of the season? Or will the team turn to their other rookie at some point over the next three months?
There could be a third option. According to Mary Kay Cabot, a Browns insider who writes for Cleveland.com, Deshaun Watson remains a possibility. During her regular appearance on the Orange And Brown Talk podcast on Wednesday, Cabot was quoted saying that she “wouldn’t be surprised” if Watson were to play in a game for the Browns this season.
Rushing Watson Back Wouldn’t Make Much Sense
It wouldn’t make a lot of sense from a medical standpoint. Watson has been dealing with serious injuries for the last three years, including a rupture and re-repture of the same Achilles tendon just three months apart. He underwent his most recent surgery in January, meaning that a return during the 2025 regular season would give him less than a year of recovery.
For a player that relies so much on his mobility, and given his age, rushing back from a back-to-back Achilles tear sounds like a bad idea.
Deshaun Watson just posted a new workout video from the Browns facility.
Do you think he’ll play this season? pic.twitter.com/9Al7nzURnU
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) October 9, 2025
His level of play with Cleveland when healthy should also be taken into consideration. Since joining the team prior to the 2022 NFL season, Watson has posted a 9-10 overall record, and has thrown 19 touchdowns compared to 12 interceptions. His career numbers are down across the board, including a completion percentage drop from 67.8% to 61.2%.
In addition, giving any starts to Watson would likely signal the team giving up on the Shedeur Sanders project.
