Browns Coach Sends Strong Message on Deshaun Watson’s Role With QBs
Deshaun Watson has not sniffed the field this year, and may never put on a Cleveland Browns uniform ever again. But he is having an impact on their offense and rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel, specifically.
Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees opened up about Watson’s impact on Gabriel’s development through his first NFL season, including his first NFL win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
Watson, of course, reinjured his Achilles tendon in January, which prompted the Browns to overhaul their quarterbacks room. Watson has been pushing to make a return, yet Gabriel has played well since taking over for Joe Flacco after the 40-year-old was traded to the
Deshaun Watson’s Relationship With Dillon Gabriel Has ‘Really Been Positive’
Watson may not seem like an ideal mentor for a 24-year-old based on his catastrophic fall from grace. But according to Rees, Watson’s presence has been beneficial on the first-time NFL starter.
“He goes out of his way to help him talk through some coverages, talk through things like that,” Rees said.
Whatever you want to say about Watson’s controversial, injury-marred tenure with the Browns, Watson sure could play the quarterback position when healthy. He made the Pro Bowl three times as a member of the
Plus, whatever Gabriel has gotten from Watson has worked. Gabriel has not yet thrown an interception in three starts, tossing three touchdowns while completing 72.2 percent of his 18 passes against the Dolphins in the rain Sunday.
Plus, whatever Rees is seeing has been backed up by coach Kevin Stefanski.
“He’s doing a great job at rehabbing, good job in meetings,” Stefanski said last week of Watson.
Deshaun Watson Is Unlikely To Play This Year — and May Never Suit Up For The Browns Again
This is the fourth of Watson’s fully guaranteed five-year, $235 million contract, which means fans who have been counting down the days until his contract expires are getting closer to freedom.
The Browns will owe Watson an appalling $80 million-plus in dead money if they release him after June 1, according to Over The Cap. Yet, if they also release him after June 1, that dead cap hit will be spread over his void years.
But with Gabriel on an entry-level contract of a third-round pick, plus Shedeur Sanders backing him up and Myles Garrett locked into a huge deal, the Browns could swing that deal to rid themselves of Watson’s stench — particularly since his contract is untradeable.
Or the Browns could decide simply to suck up Watson as the highest-paid backup quarterback in NFL history — even more so than Kirk Cousins with the Atlanta Falcons this year — then be rid of the Watson mistake rather than compounding it through the rest of the 2027 season.
Watson has only thrown for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions and 465 rushing yards and three scores in a Browns uniform. What’s worse is he’s only played 19 games for the Browns, mainly due to injuries and an 11-game suspension in 2022 for violating the NFL’s personal-conduct policy.
Notable individual and team the Rams have hit so far during the 2025 season
Whether it was a league career milestone or a franchise mark, there have been many hit by Rams players through the first seven weeks of the season.
Here's a recap of those accomplishments so far at the bye week.
- Quarterback Matthew Stafford moved up the top 10 on the NFL's all-time passing yards, passing touchdowns and completions lists.
- Stafford also reached 60,000 career passing yards, becoming just the 10th player in NFL history to do so.
- Stafford also took sole possession of fifth on the franchise's passing touchdowns list.
- Stafford also moved into fifth in franchise history in passing yards.
- Wide receiver Puka Nacua became the first player in NFL history with 50 receptions in the first five games of an NFL season.
- Nacua also joined Eric Moulds (2002 with Buffalo) and T.J. Houshmanzadeh (2007 with Cincinnati) as the only players in NFL history with at least eight receptions in each of his team's first four games of a season.
- Nacua also reached 3,000 receiving yards for his career, tying Justin Jefferson as the second-fastest to reach 3,000 receiving yards (33 games). Only Odell Beckham Jr. hit the mark quicker (30 games).
- Nacua also became the second player since 1970 to reach 200 or more receptions in his first 30 career games, joining Beckham Jr.
- Wide receiver Davante Adams reached 12,000 career receiving yards, becoming the 32nd player in NFL history to do so.
- Inside linebacker Nate Landman set a franchise single-game record with 17 total tackles against the Ravens in Week 6.
- Running back Kyren Williams tied Roman Gabriel (28) and Dick Hoerner (28) in rushing TDs and cracked the top 10 in franchise history.
- The 10 different Rams players who caught a pass in Week 7 against the Jaguars marked the most in a single game in the Sean McVay era.
