DeShaun Watson Has Injury Scare At Celebrity Softball Game (2024)

Last season, the Cleveland Browns secured a playoff spot in Week 17 even though they paced the league in cap space dollars spent on players on injured reserve. They didn't go any further than that, getting blown out by the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round, but it was still an impressive season highlighted by the heroics of 2023 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Joe Flacco.

Now, Flacco is off to Indianapolis, and the Browns are left to rely on Deshaun Watson as their starting quarterback. The team has been positive in their updates on him as he rehabs from a season-ending shoulder injury, though there's still a long road to go before Watson takes the field in Week 1.

This weekend, Watson gave Browns fans another injury scare at David Njoku's softball game, when he collided with reserve tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden. In the first inning of the game, Watson, playing first base, leaped to catch a pop-up before Mitchell-Paden ran into him. Watson flipped over and landed on his surgically-repaired shoulder.

However, after a few seconds of lying on the ground, Watson returned to his feet and gave the crowd a thumbs-up gesture. He continued playing the rest of the game at first base, though he didn't take any at-bats. Speaking with Cleveland.com's Mark Kay Cabot, Mitchell-Paden recounted the events of the play, thanking his lucky stars that Watson wasn't hurt:

During OTAs, Watson threw every other day, though he didn't participate in any offense vs defense drills as he focuses on rehabbing his shoulder. He is expected to take first-team reps for the Browns during Mandatory Minicamp later this week.

Watson's Future In Cleveland Is Murky

The QB has played just 12 games since 2020 while dealing with injuries and scandals

Since the Browns signed Watson to his massive five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract (after giving up a historic haul of picks to acquire him), Cleveland has not seen the same version of the Clemson product that the Houston Texans had. Even though Watson is over .500 as a starter with the Browns, his numbers have taken a step back in nearly every statistical category.

Of course, given that his contract is fully guaranteed, the Browns have no reasonable way out of Watson's deal. If they were to release him ahead of the 2025 season, the Browns would incur a $136,938,000 dead cap hit. That is not a typo, by the way. $136 million dollars, just to pay Watson not to play.

Even if they were to designate him as a post-June 1 cut next year, Watson would still account for a $109,977,000 dead cap hit in 2025 (with the remaining $26,961,000 dead cap rolling over into 2026).

The only way the Browns could save money on Watson is by trading him, though they'd still owe him nearly $45 million dollars in 2025 if they did that. Even at a cap hit of less than $20 million, they'll have a tough time trying to find a suitor for Watson if his play doesn't dramatically improve in 2024.

For now, Browns fans should merely breathe a sigh of relief that he's okay following yet another injury scare, and hope as much as they can that this will be the season that Watson finally returns to Pro Bowl form.

It's not unfeasible to think that the Browns' offense will be better than ever this year, what with Watson and running back Nick Chubb returning from injury alongside newcomer Jerry Jeudy. And now that head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry have been extended, the team will maintain some important continuity for years to come.

At least, fans should be hoping that's the case, lest Watson's team getting blown out 20-5 in the softball game proves to be a bad omen for the upcoming season.

Source: Mark Kay Cabot

All stats courtesy of Pro Football Referenceand contract numbers courtesy of Spotrac unless stated otherwise.