Deshaun Watson led the Browns to a key, come-from-behind win against the Ravens in Week 10, but it proved to be a pyrrhic victory.
Watson suffered a shoulder injury during Cleveland's 33-31 win. The Browns announced on Wednesday that an MRI showed their quarterback had a broken bone in his throwing shoulder.
"Deshaun notified our medical staff of a new discomfort in his right shoulder that he felt after a hit in the first half," the Browns wrote in a statement. "An MRI of his right shoulder revealed a displaced fracture to the glenoid. Despite performing at a high level and finishing the game, after consultation with Browns' Head Physician James Voos, MD, and industry-leading shoulder specialist, Neal ElAttrache, MD, it has been determined that this injury will require immediate surgical repair to avoid any further structural damage.
Deshaun will be placed on season-ending injured reserve and a full recovery is expected for the start of the 2024 season.
That will bring what was supposed to be Watson's first full season as a starter for the Browns to a disappointing end after just six starts.
Watson entered the 2023 NFL season with high hopes that he could return to being the man who once led the NFL in passing yards in 2020. Instead, he was up and down as a passer, completing just 61.4 percent of his passes for 1,115 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions.
That said, Watson posted a 5-1 record as a starter with his only loss coming in Week 2 against a vaunted Steelers defense. So, the Browns will miss Watson's on-field presence as they shift to P.J. Walker as their new starter.
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Here's what to know about Watson's injury and how it will impact the Browns moving forward.
Deshaun Watson injury update
While Watson's shoulder injury — which is being deemed a glenoid fracture — will knock him out for the remainder of the 2023 NFL season, it wasn't his preferred course of action for dealing with the malady.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that Watson wanted to continue playing while getting treatment on his banged-up right shoulder. That would have involved taking pain relief shots to gut through the malady.
Naturally, that plan was rejected by Cleveland's medical staff. As Pelissero noted, they were worried that Watson's shoulder "could fall apart" if he took a big hit to the same spot.
#Browns QB Deshaun Watson wanted to be shot up and play through the injuries, and he sought multiple medical opinions, per sources. But doctors were clear: if he got hit again in the same spot, the shoulder could fall apart. Now surgery awaits and his 2023 season is over. pic.twitter.com/xULu52ZjVg
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 15, 2023
It's worth noting that Watson missed time earlier in the season because of a throwing shoulder injury. At the time, it was reported that he was dealing with a bruised rotator cuff. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported "all indications are" Watson's current malady is unrelated to the previous shoulder issue.
It is not clear exactly when in the game Watson got hurt, though the Browns referenced the hit he absorbed as having come in the first half of Cleveland's 33-31 win.
Either way, Watson's season has come to an end; and now, the Browns will have to turn to his backup as they look to make a run at a playoff berth in 2023.
What is a glenoid fracture?
A glenoid fracture is described as a "relatively uncommon" shoulder break that involves the socket part of the ball-and-socket joint that comprises the shoulder, per Grant Garcia M.D.'s website. They account for just 10 percent of shoulder fractures and "most often occur when there is significant trauma to the shoulder, or because of high-energy sports injuries."
Thus, it's easy to understand how Watson suffered a glenoid issue.
There are two primary types of glenoid fractures. One, a glenoid lip fracture, often occurs when a shoulder is dislocated. As the ball comes out of the socket joining, it scrapes up against the edge of the glenoid and causes a small portion of it to chip off or crack.
The other type of glenoid fracture is a glenoid fossa fracture. This occurs when the middle portion of the glenoid breaks due to severe trauma.
It isn't clear what type of glenoid fracture Watson has suffered, but he will be sidelined long-term because of it. The Virtual Fracture Clinic states that it takes roughly 6-8 weeks for the injury to heal, so that is why Watson was declared out for the rest of the season.
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Browns QB depth chart
As it stands, the Browns have two quarterbacks remaining on their depth chart. They are as follows:
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Dorian Thompson-Robinson |
| 2 | P.J. Walker |
Many presumed that Walker would take over the starting job from Watson. The former XFL star has been volatile during his first season with the Browns — he has completed just 49 percent of his passes for 618 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions.
However, Jordan Schultz of The Score reported Wednesday that the Browns are planning to start Thompson-Robinson, a fifth-round rookie, barring a last-minute change of heart.
Thompson-Robinson shined in the preseason and managed to beat out veteran Joshua Dobbs for the team's backup quarterback spot.
However, in his lone regular-season start, the Browns were shellacked 28-3 against the Ravens. During that contest, Robinson completed just 19 of 36 passes for 121 yards and three interceptions. His passer rating of 25.4 is among the lowest single-game totals posted by an NFL quarterback this season.
Thus, it's interesting that the Browns are deciding to roll with Thompson-Robinson as their starter. But if he can manage the game effectively and make plays with his legs, he should have a chance to keep the Browns afloat and vie for a wild-card berth.
Still, while Watson wasn't playing particularly well for the Browns, he was still outperforming his fellow quarterbacks by a decent margin. And there was reason to believe that, after his game against the Ravens, he was starting to round back into form as a solid starter.
Now, Cleveland will try to survive without him as it mounts is playoff push. That will likely involve trusting Thompson-Robinson to keep this offense on schedule. That is a risky proposition as the team looks to continue to gain ground on the Ravens in the AFC North race.
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