Catastrophic Deshaun Watson update puts Browns and QB's future entirely up in the air

After Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry mentioned that quarterback Deshaun Watson suffered a setback in his early recovery from a torn Achilles suffered on Oct. 20, there were already questions about if the quarterback would be able to play in the 2025 season.

With the latest update, that now seems even less likely.

As reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter and multiple other outlets, Watson re-tore his Achilles and was forced to undergo a second surgery to repair the damaged tendon on Thursday. Given that standard recovery for an Achilles tear is normally about 12 months, it's seeming highly unlikely that Watson will be able to play for Cleveland in the 2025 season.

Watson's time in Cleveland has been low-light filled throughout. The trade with the Texans and the subsequent fully-guaranteed contract that the Browns handed the quarterback thereafter have already gone down as one of the worst moves in NFL history given how mightily Watson has struggled in addition to struggling to stay on the field beyond this Achilles injury.

In the wake of this re-tear of the Achilles, though, it seems like it may have dire consequences for Watson's career and less dire but still integral effects on the Browns' future.

Deshaun Watson re-tears Achilles, putting 2025, NFL career and Browns' future in doubt

For starters, if Watson is indeed unable to play in the 2025 season, the Browns may not get the cap relief they hoped for. While they have an insurance policy for injury for up to $44.3 million of the $46 million the QB is owed, the contract would be protected if the re-injury occurred while rehabbing and not something from outside of the normal process.

But whenever Watson does return, there's also then a chance that the Browns are more willing to finally bite the bullet and get out from under the remainder of that contract. When they restructured his contract to lessen his cap hit recently, it seemed like they were prepared to bide their time for another year with Watson on the roster and recovering from the initial injury before moving on. That's now even more likely to be the outcome here.

If and when that does happen, what's realistically next for Watson? He's been arguably the worst quarterback in the league in Cleveland as there were calls for him to be benched this past year well before he suffered the Achilles tear. Given that and his off-the-field allegations that still linger over the entire situation, would there really be any team willing to give him another chance outside of anything but pure misguided desperation? I don't see it, frankly.

All that is to say, there's a non-zero and perhaps likely chance we've seen the last of Watson on an NFL field as a starting quarterback.

That also throws the Browns future into more disarray in regards to the quarterback position. There have been varying levels of expectation for what Cleveland intends to do at QB this offseason with the No. 2 pick offering an opportunity in the draft but in a weak class at the position. Would they turn to another veteran such as Kirk Cousins should he be available? Would they be willing to ride it out with Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Jameis Winston again? Is there a Door No. 3?

Those questions are now amplified if Watson is unable to play in 2025 and also potentially seeing his Browns tenure coming to a close. It's been a decades-long search in Cleveland for a stable quarterback situation but it's now increasingly hard to see that materializing this offseason given the dynamics of the situation.

At the same time, that uncertainty should ultimately lead to some hope. Trading for and extending Watson bit this organization royally in the rear. There's no denying that. However, moving on from him would give the Browns and the fanbase a clean slate and, though it may sound callous, this latest injury update and what it could mean for Watson's future offers that opportunity and outlook in Cleveland.