Browns QB Deshaun Watson (right shoulder) ruled out; P.J. Walker to start vs. 49ers
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will miss his second straight game due to a bruised rotator cuff.
The club officially ruled out Watson for Week 6’s matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
Watson suffered the shoulder injury on a third-quarter run during the Week 3 win over the Tennessee Titans. The Browns thought the starter would play in Week 4 against Baltimore, but he was scratched from the contest on game day.
The hope in Cleveland was the bye-week rest would allow Watson to return against the 49ers, but he missed practice all week and didn’t even make it to questionable status on the Friday injury report.
In three starts in 2023, Watson has completed 63.7 percent of 102 attempts for 678 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. He has yet to have a 300-yard passing performance in nine starts with the Browns. Cleveland has not scored more than 27 points with Watson as the starter and has scored 14 or fewer points in four of the QB’s nine games.
With rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson struggling in the Week 4 start (0 TD, 3 INTs, 4 sacks), the Browns will turn to P.J. Walker, who will be called up from the practice squad. Walker started seven games with the Carolina Panthers over the past three seasons.
