“There’s nothing nefarious” - Browns GM Andrew Berry makes feelings known on Deshaun Watson reinjuring Achilles during recovery

Deshaun Watson’s reinjuring his Achilles last October was shrouded in mystery, but Browns general manager Andrew Berry wants to silence the conspiracy theorists.

“I know there’s been a lot of speculation and everything out there, but there’s nothing nefarious. It’s just an unfortunate accident," Berry said.

Berry elaborated that the reason for the re-injury was a turned foot or ankle during the recovery stage.

“Unfortunately, he turned his foot [or] ankle that caused the re-tear during the normal stages of the recovery process,” the GM added.

Berry also wanted to share that the Browns are working with Watson through the recovery process.

Watson first injured his Achilles in Week 7 game against the Bengals on October 20. He underwent surgery five days later. However, in the first week of January, an MRI found that Watson had re-ruptured his Achilles tendon. That necessitated another surgery and set back his recovery timeline.

He is now expected to miss a significant part of the 2025 season. Whether he even makes it back for one game remains to be seen, but Berry is optimistic.

"He will miss significant time. How far that spans into 2025? I can't give you a specific [answer] right now,” Berry said. "He's shown to be a fast healer and we're going to try and be as thoughtful and aggressive with the recovery process, but that's not something that I could predict at currently."

The Browns were already struggling at the time of the first injury, and their subsequent defeat against the Bengals reduced them to 1-7. Watson was already performing poorly, with a QBR of 23.4. The Browns finished the season 3-14.

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Browns’ options at quarterback with Deshaun Watson out for significant time

This news means the Browns will most likely be in the market for a quarterback. When asked about the route the Browns intend to take, Berry kept all options open.

“I will say this, our cash and cap position, we always look at that on a multiyear planning perspective,” Berry said. “It will not be prohibitive for us to do things if the opportunities present themselves.”

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported that the Browns have already expressed early interest in trading for Los Angeles Rams’ quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Another veteran option would be current Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback Kirk Cousins. He could be cut as early as March 17 before a roster bonus is due.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski worked with Cousins in Minnesota during the 2018 and 2019 seasons and a reunion could help them bridge the quarterback position while they await clarity on Watson.

They could also take their quarterback of the future in the draft. They have the second overall pick, and options at that spot include Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.