Coach Kevin Stefanski said Tuesday that the Browns will not activate Watson (Achilles) from reserve/PUP this season, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Watson tore his right Achilles tendon in October of last year, and the Browns opened his 21-day practice window three weeks ago. That window closed Tuesday afternoon with the Browns opting against activating the quarterback. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Cleveland is expected to keep Watson on the team in 2026, the final year of his fully-guaranteed five-year, $230 million deal. His current $80.7 million cap number for 2026 is the highest in the NFL. Watson hasn't played in a game since Week 10 of last season. It's unclear if the Browns will seriously consider starting Watson if he's indeed on the team next year.

Watson (Achilles) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Bills, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Per Oyefusi, coach Kevin Stefanski said the Browns will make a decision on whether to add Watson back to the active roster prior to the team's Week 17 game against Pittsburgh. An official transaction activating Watson from the reserve/PUP list will have to be made by next Tuesday, or Watson will be ineligible to play this season. Shedeur Sanders will start Sunday against the Bills.

Watson (Achilles) isn't expected to play during the remainder of the 2025 campaign, but Cleveland plans to keep the veteran QB on its roster next season, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

Watson was designated to return to practice Wednesday and logged a trio of limited practices this week. While that seems to indicate that the 2017 first-round draft pick has progressed enough in his recovery from a re-ruptured Achilles to take part in football activities, it appears the Browns will opt to keep him out of games amid a season during which they've relied primarily on rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders to handle QB duties. Though Cleveland is leaning toward keeping Watson around for next season, that doesn't necessarily mean he'll reclaim a starting role. Schefter notes that money is part of the reason why the Browns expect Watson back and also indicates that the team values his veteran presence around the rookie QBs.

Watson (Achilles) has been ruled out for Sunday's contest against the Titans, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Browns opened Watson's 21-day practice window Wednesday to return from the PUP list, which is where he's resided since the start of training camp after undergoing a second surgery in early January to address a re-rupture of his right Achilles. He strung together limited showings in practice this week, but even if he gets medical clearance to play, he might not surpass rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel on the depth chart.

The Browns designated Watson (Achilles) to return from the reserve/PUP list Wednesday, and he's on track to be limited in his first session, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Watson hasn't played this season, as he's been on the PUP list (where he still resides) after re-rupturing his Achilles in January. The veteran QB has been serving as a mentor to rookie QBs Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, however, and over the past month he's posted videos to his social media that show him being able to drop back on snaps. Those clips were a precursor to his return to drills Wednesday, and Watson now will have a 21-day window to ramp up in practice before Cleveland either has to activate him or rule him out for the rest of the season. While the Browns could activate Watson and subsequently allow him to suit up on game day anytime during that 21-day frame, it seems unlikely that he'll be ready to play this Sunday against Tennessee given his extended absence -- he last played in an NFL game Week 7 of last season.

Watson (Achilles) accompanied the Browns to Las Vegas for Sunday's game against the Raiders, marking the first time he's joined the team on the road this season, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

EDGE Analysis

Watson will be on the sideline to serve as a resource to rookie Shedeur Sanders, who will be making his first NFL start Sunday. The 30-year-old's presence in Las Vegas is also a sign that he's making progress in his recovery from the right Achilles tendon he re-ruptured back in January, requiring a second surgery in less than three months. The Browns haven't offered up any specifics regarding where Watson stands in his rehab program, but he's posted multiple videos on social media in recent weeks that appear to show him dropping back on snaps and throwing without being compromised by the Achilles injury. Cleveland could open Watson's 21-day practice window at any time, though the organization may prefer to wait until OTAs in the spring to clear the veteran signal-caller for on-field work. Watson will be entering the final season of a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract in 2026.

The Browns plan on waiting until at least Week 12 to potentially open Watson's (Achilles) 21-day practice window, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

EDGE Analysis

On Monday, head coach Kevin Stefanski noted that Watson was progressing well in his comeback from his Jan. 20 surgery to address a re-ruptured right Achilles tendon and didn't dismiss the possibility of the quarterback practicing this week, but Watson will end up having his return to the field delayed by at least one more week. Given that he hasn't practiced in more than a year since he initially ruptured his Achilles on Oct. 20, Watson will likely need close to the full 21-day window to complete his ramp-up process before the Browns would consider activating him from the PUP list. Despite having been out all season, Watson remains engaged with the Browns and has attended all meetings and has filled a mentorship role for Cleveland's two rookie quarterbacks, starter Dillon Gabriel and backup Shedeur Sanders. The 30-year-old remains under contract with the Browns through next season after inking a five-year, $230 million extension with Cleveland shortly after he was acquired from the Texans in March 2022.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that Watson (Achilles) won't have his 21-day practice window opened this week, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.

EDGE Analysis

Stefanski noted that he had no update on the status of Watson, though the lack of new information isn't necessarily a sign that the quarterback has experienced any sort of setback. Watson was always expected to be in line for a lengthy rehab process from the right Achilles tendon tear he sustained last October and then subsequently re-ruptured, which required a second surgery Jan. 9. Once Watson completes his rehab and advances to the point in his recovery that he's ready to practice, the Browns should have a better idea regarding whether the veteran signal-caller has a realistic chance at playing in games late in the 2025 season.

Coach Kevin Stefanski noted Wednesday that he had "no real update" on Watson (Achilles) "other than he's doing a great job with his rehab," Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

While Watson -- who suffered a right Achilles tendon rupture in Week 7 last season and then underwent an additional surgery in January to address the issue -- is eligible to have his practice window opened, the expectation is that the QB is still weeks away from that possibly happening. With the Browns having traded Kenny Pickett in August and Joe Flacco last Tuesday, rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders are the only signal-callers currently on the team's active roster, while Bailey Zappe is a member of the practice squad.

Watson (Achilles) is not expected to return to practice this week, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

EDGE Analysis

Watson is currently on the reserve/PUP list and is eligible to begin practicing this week, but that doesn't sound like it's in the cards for the 30-year-old quarterback. Watson suffered a torn Achilles in Week 7 last season and is roughly eight months removed from surgery. It remains to be seen if Watson will play again for the Browns, who have offered very little on the status of Watson's recovery.