Deshaun Watson entered the Cleveland Browns' offseason hoping to win back the starting quarterback job. But new concerns about his repaired shoulder have come up before training camp.

During a recent episode of Orange and Brown Talk, Cleveland.com reporter Mary Kay Cabot expressed concerns about Watson's shoulder.

"I think what Deshaun needs to do now is get some proper rest over the break because I thought his arm seemed to tail off a little. Maybe he got the slightest bit of fatigue in his surgically repaired shoulder. It hasn't had this much work since before the surgery," Cabot said, as posted by BrownsNation.com on X.

Cabot's Orange and Brown Talk comments came after Shedeur Sanders took most of the first-team snaps on the first day of minicamp.

Watson, on the other hand, has not carried a full offseason workload until now and has only appeared in 19 games between 2022 and 2025.

The veteran QB missed several games after shoulder surgery in 2023. He then sat out the entire 2025 season after a ruptured Achilles. With training camp approaching, every session puts extra focus on how well his body responds to his recovery.

That could help Sanders. The rookie QB, who has recorded 1,400 yards in his first season, has drawn attention throughout the offseason. And the mandatory minicamp showed that Cleveland is giving him a real chance to compete for the starting role.

However, Cabot pointed out on May 27 via Cleveland.com that Watson's shoulder had shown good signs earlier this offseason.

During the Browns' first four OTA practices, the veteran QB continuously completed deep throws and looked far more comfortable pushing the ball downfield than he did a year ago.

As Cleveland focuses on its quarterback competition, Watson's injury history is affecting more than just the starting job.

Watson's Contract Adds Another Challenge for the Browns

The Browns are not just tracking Watson's recovery on the field. His injury history has drawn attention to the financial impact of his contract.

The NFLPA records initially showed more than $88 million in cap credits connected to Watson's injuries. After reviewing the records with a salary-cap specialist, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk updated the figure.

H explained that the total was lower than originally believed.

"Per the source with whom we collaborated, the actual cap credit for the games missed in 2023, 2024, and 2025 will be $25.824 million," Florio wrote on Wednesday.

Florio added that the lower amount could mean the Browns did not buy the maximum insurance allowed under Watson's contract, or that the policy included terms that reduced the payout.

"The difference comes from the fact that, as the source believes, a credit of $3,997,386 that first appears in the 2026 breakdown following the March 6, 2026, restructuring of the deal will be (and perhaps already should be) reflected four more times," Florio added.

However, the Browns declined to comment on the insurance details.

What do you think if Watson's injuries become a problem again, can Sanders take advantage and win the starting job before Week 1? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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Written by

Shreya Mishra

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit