Deshaun Watson

NFL Active Leaders In Career Earnings

July 13th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ben Levine

Kirk Cousins‘ four-year, $180MM deal with the Falcons this season vaulted him up the list of active career earners. This was by virtue of his $50MM signing bonus, adding to the more than $231MM he earned from the Commanders and (mostly) the Vikings throughout his career. Even under the worst-case scenario, Cousins will still see at least another $50MM come his way via his contract with Atlanta, which would push his career earnings north of $331MM.

While the soon-to-be 36-year-old Cousins will surely see a significant portion of the $80MM worth of unguaranteed money on his contract, he’ll still be hard pressed to catch Aaron Rodgers on the career-earnings list. Rodgers earned more than $306MM during his long tenure in Green Bay, and he’s already made close to $37MM during his one season in New York (mostly via the $35MM signing bonus on his reworked pact).

With at least $40MM of additional guarantees coming his way from the Jets, Rodgers will continue to grow his lead as the highest-earning NFL player of all time. Both Rodgers and Matthew Stafford were able to leap Tom Brady among the NFL’s highest all-time earners over the past year.

With all that said, we’ve listed the 25 active players who have earned the most money in their NFL careers (h/t to OverTheCap.com). While this list is up to date, it doesn’t account for soon-to-realized salaries for the 2024 campaign. This list is also solely focused on NFL cash and does not include off-the-field earnings:

QB Aaron Rodgers: $343MM
QB Matthew Stafford: $328MM
QB Russell Wilson: $305MM
QB Kirk Cousins: $281MM
QB Jared Goff: $234MM
LB Von Miller: $179MM
QB Joe Flacco: $177MM
OT Trent Williams: $171MM
QB Derek Carr: $165MM
LB Khalil Mack: $162MM
QB Dak Prescott: $161MM
DL Aaron Donald: $157MM
QB Jimmy Garoppolo: $150MM
DE Calais Campbell: $143MM
QB Deshaun Watson: $142MM
QB Patrick Mahomes: $136MM
DE Joey Bosa: $134MM
DL Leonard Williams: $134MM
WR Mike Evans: $132MM
QB Carson Wentz: $130MM
WR DeAndre Hopkins: $128MM
WR Stefon Diggs: $126MM
DE Cameron Jordan: $126MM
OT Lane Johnson: $121MM
DT Chris Jones: $120MM

Browns GM Andrew Berry: Deshaun Watson “Ahead Of Schedule” In Recovery

June 20th, 2024 at 10:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

As the Browns aim to have a healthy Deshaun Watson available for the entire 2024 campaign, a key aspect of the team’s offseason will be his rehab from a fractured shoulder socket. Developments on that front have been encouraging so far.

Watson threw every other day during OTAs, with the Browns understandably taking a cautious approach early in the spring. His workload increased over time, though, and he impressed during minicamp. As a result, the 28-year-old is on track to practice without restrictions in training camp.

“First and foremost, Deshaun has really worked his tail off during the rehabilitation process over the last several months,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said during an appearance on NFL Network’s The Insiders. “He’s really actually ahead of schedule… He’s thrown the ball well. Did a really nice job during our 7-on-7 and team periods during this veteran minicamp.

“He’s making excellent progress. Honestly if you didn’t know he got hurt last year, you really wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. We’re very excited once camp starts.”

The lingering shoulder issue affected Watson’s second Cleveland campaign, one in which he was slated to take part in the full season after the suspension which sidelined him for 11 contests in 2022. The Browns ultimately won 11 games while using five different starting quarterbacks last year, but having the former Texan in place for a full slate would be critical for team and player. Watson is entering the third year of his $230MM fully guaranteed pact signed upon arrival in Cleveland.

To date, the team has not received the expected results from the decision to trade for and sign Watson. The three-time Pro Bowler is set to carry cap hits above $63MM in each of the next three seasons (unless another restructure is worked out in the coming weeks), which will add to his importance on offense moving forward. Especially with running back Nick Chubb likely to miss time at the start of the season, increased emphasis will be placed on Cleveland’s passing game. If Watson is back to 100% by the fall, he will be positioned to make another run at a healthy season and serve as the focal point of the team’s attack.

Browns Taking Methodical Approach With Deshaun Watson’s Recovery

May 31st, 2024 at 10:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Starting just six games for the second straight season, Deshaun Watson played only 383 snaps — four fewer than his suspension-shortened 2022. The Browns have received an alarmingly low return on the historically expensive trade with the Texans, but the contract they were required to authorize in order to win the 2022 sweepstakes continues to tie the team to the former Pro Bowler.

Going into season three of that five-year, $230MM guaranteed deal, the Browns are bringing their quarterback along slowly. Watson suffered a fractured shoulder socket and a partially torn labrum last season. He is not yet a full participant in the team’s offseason program, but the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot notes the eighth-year QB threw in front of the media for the first time this week.

Watson, 28, participated in individual drills and threw to receivers during the practice portions not involving a defense. Jameis Winston took the reps in seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 periods, Cabot adds. The team is gradually bringing its high-priced passer along, with Kevin Stefanski indicating (via the Akron Beacon Journal’s Chris Easterling) Watson is not throwing at every OTA session. Stefanski said Watson is throwing every other day during OTAs, though the fifth-year Cleveland HC noted that is expected to change at next month’s minicamp.

“He threw the ball down the sideline, a vertical throw today, and that’s one I hadn’t seen from him a lot,” new Browns OC Ken Dorsey said, via Cabot. “We haven’t pushed him to do it, so that was good to see. The more he grows and feels comfortable with it, the more you’ll start seeing those things get ramped up more and more.”

The Browns had played games without Watson prior to his season-ending shoulder injury last year, with the likes of P.J. Walker and Dorian Thompson-Robinson making starts. Watson’s shoulder trouble, a micro tear of his rotator cuff, ultimately leading to a Nov. 21 surgery, preceded Joe Flacco‘s stunning resurgence. Watson also suffered a high ankle sprain last season. The team booked a playoff berth despite missing its starting QB, its top three tackles and Nick Chubb. Flacco is now in Indianapolis, indicating he was surprised Cleveland did not re-sign him, and Winston is the Browns’ Watson insurance policy.

While this certainly represents a pivotal year for the Browns and Watson, the team is still tied to the former Texans standout through 2026. Unlike last year, the Browns have not restructured Watson’s contract. That places what would be a record-smashing $63.77MM cap number on Cleveland’s cap sheet. No player has ever brought a $45MM cap charge in a season. Three-plus months away from Week 1, the Browns, Cowboys (Dak Prescott) and Broncos (part one of Russell Wilson‘s dead money) are in line to move past that benchmark. Barring a restructure, Watson’s cap number would top both players this season.

Watson’s surgery was to require a six-month recovery timetable. Shortly beyond that point, this process will be one to monitor as the Browns attempt to finally enjoy an extended run of quality QB play with their hired gun.

Browns, Titans, Giants Eyeing QB Jameis Winston

March 12th, 2024 at 9:18am CST by Ben Levine

MARCH 12: In addition to the Browns, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports the Titans and Giants have shown “preliminary interest” in Winston. Tennessee has Will Levis in place as the quarterback of the present and future, but adding an experienced option capable of starting or providing high-end insurance would be a logical move. Malik Willis holds the QB2 spot for now, but the Levis selection last spring has limited his ability to compete for a starting role in Nashville.

The Giants, meanwhile, saw Tyrod Taylor agree to a deal with the Jets yesterday. Linked to drafting a Daniel Jones successor this April, New York will at least need a veteran backup if Jones is unable to start the 2024 season on time as recovers from a torn ACL. Winston would fit the bill, and likely not at an especially high price tag.

MARCH 11: The Browns are hoping for a healthy season from Deshaun Watson in 2024, but that won’t stop the front office from pursuing a top-end backup. While the team navigates Joe Flacco‘s free agency, the Browns are eyeing another notable quarterback. According to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, the Browns are interested in Jameis Winston as a backup QB.

Winston has been in New Orleans since 2020, and despite several changes atop the depth chart, he’s continued to serve as a fill-in at quarterback. As a result, the former first-overall pick was reportedly seeking a starting gig as he weighs free agent offers this time around. The 30-year-old has not played a full season as a starter since 2019, the year of his infamous 33-touchdown, 30-interception campaign with the Buccaneers

Of course, finding a QB1 job would be easier said than done, as few teams would simply hand the reins to Winston. For what it’s worth, the veteran has looked good as a backup in New Orleans. The Saints have gone 6-4 in Winston’s 10 starts with the organization, and the QB has tossed 20 touchdowns vs. 11 interceptions in his 21 games with New Orleans. He didn’t get a chance to start while serving as Derek Carr‘s back in 2023, with Winston completing only 25 of his 47 pass attempts while tossing two TDs and three interceptions.

The Browns lucked out with their backup plan in 2023. Flacco guided the Browns to a 4-1 record in his five starts, with the former Super Bowl winner finding the fountain of youth while tossing 13 touchdowns, his highest total since 2017. The veteran QB is reportedly looking to stick in Cleveland for the 2024 campaign, and the free agent confirmed that sentiment during a recent appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio.

“I can tell you that, all things equal, Cleveland is definitely the place where I’d feel best about,” Flacco said (via Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com). “Now, then you have to get into the world of, is someone actually going to give me a chance to play? And all the different things that go into that.

“But I can’t help but have a special feeling about Cleveland, just because of the few weeks that I spent there and how great the city was. And, listen, at the end of the day, I don’t necessarily want that to be a huge part [or] all of the decision. But I do think it will factor into the decision — if I end up having a decision to make.”

Browns QB Deshaun Watson To Resume Throwing In March

February 19th, 2024 at 1:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

Deshaun Watson‘s second Browns campaign (and first one with full-season availability) did not go according to plan. Recurring injuries left the Pro Bowl quarterback in and out of the lineup before he was ultimately shut down for the year. A key step in his rehab is not far away, though.

Watson is set to resume throwing in March, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. He continues to recover from surgery which took place in November and marked an end to his campaign. A number of issues emerged in his throwing shoulder over the course of the campaign, though Cabot notes that only the fractured glenoid bone – rather than Watson’s strained rotator cuff – was surgically repaired.

When speaking about Cleveland’s QB situation last month, head coach Kevin Stefanski said Watson was on track to take part in the team’s offseason program in April. Today’s update points further in that direction, and Cabot adds that Watson may be ahead of schedule in his recovery. Managing to put together a full campaign next year will be an obvious goal for team and player in this situation.

Watson was suspended for the first 11 games of the season in 2022, and his level of play upon activation left plenty to be desired. He took a step forward this year, but his season-ending ailment left the Browns in need of multiple replacement options under center. Midseason signing Joe Flacco helped provide stability and guide the team to the postseason, boosting his free agent value in the process. Watson will, to no surprise, serve as Cleveland’s starter in 2024.

Before the season kicks off, though, adjustments to the 28-year-old’s contract will need to be made. Watson is due to carry a cap hit of just under $64MM in each of the final three years of his fully-guaranteed deal. That figure would easily set a new NFL record in terms of single-season cap hits, but a restructure or extension would lower it for the time being. Financial moves will be worth watching in the near future in Watson’s case, but a positive development on the health front is also forthcoming.

Deshaun Watson To Start For Browns In 2024; Latest On QB’s Recovery

January 15th, 2024 at 10:51am CST by Adam La Rose

The Browns relied on Joe Flacco to close out the season and into the wild-card round in the wake of numerous injuries under center. The former Super Bowl MVP does not intend to retire any time soon, but a continued Browns tenure would not involve him maintaining his starting position.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed (via ESPN’s Jake Trotter) that Deshaun Watson sits atop the team’s offseason QB depth chart. The latter was shut down for the season due to shoulder surgery, and his absence led to the pursuit of Flacco in the first place. The 38-year-old was used as a gameday elevation for two weeks while staving off interest from teams looking to sign him off Cleveland’s practice squad. His strong play carried over through the end of the regular season, though the loss to the Texans saw a continuation of Flacco’s turnover issues.

It comes as no surprise Watson will be the No. 1 when healthy given his contract situation and the lack of proven options behind him on the depth chart (at least before Flacco was signed). A report from last month indicated Cleveland was open to the idea of keeping Flacco in place despite the presence of Watson and 2023 fifth-rounder Dorian Thompson-Robinson. In any case, Flacco’s impressive audition has no doubt boosted his market amongst interested teams ahead of free agency, something which will help his goal of playing through the age of 40.

Stefanski added that Watson should be recovered from surgery sometime this spring, meaning he should be able to participate in Cleveland’s offseason program. A healthy and productive campaign in 2024 will be critical given the extent to which things have not gone according to plan for team and player in this situation. The former Texans Pro Bowler was suspended for the first 11 games of the 2022 season, and the lingering shoulder issues limited him to six contests this year. Watson performed at a higher level when on the field in 2023 than he did in his debut Browns season, but to date he has not met expectations on his fully guaranteed $230MM pact.

Over each of the next three seasons, Watson is scheduled to carry a record-shattering cap hit of just under $64MM. Another restructure to his contract will therefore likely take place in the near future, and the particulars of that move will inform much of the team’s remaining budget at the QB spot. A deal with Flacco or another veteran backup option could be in play, but Watson will enter the build-up to the 2024 campaign assured of his spot atop the depth chart.

AFC North Rumors: Bengals, Battle, Watson, Steelers

November 26th, 2023 at 9:41pm CST by Ely Allen

The Bengals have already announced that starting quarterback Joe Burrow‘s season is over after he suffered a thumb ligament tear. The only information left to report on Burrow’s situation is that he is set to undergo wrist surgery tomorrow, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The expectation is that Burrow will be able to make a full recovery in time for the 2024 season.

On the administrative side of things, Rapoport also reports that the league is “investigating if Cincinnati should have listed Burrow on its injury report prior to” the game in which he seemingly suffered the season-ending injury. The night before the team’s matchup in Baltimore, Burrow was shown on a team social media post with an apparatus on his right wrist before the post was taken down. That same wrist is the one receiving surgery tomorrow. Rapoport says that the Bengals have “turned in hours of footage to the NFL showing that Burrow was healthy prior to the game.” The team’s doctors claim that the injury was acute and not one that happened over time.

The team opted to run Burrow’s offense and playbook in Jake Browning‘s first career start. The Bengals coaches had full confidence in Browning running the offense but still planned to run the ball a bit more than usual to take some pressure off his shoulders. Browning and the Bengals would lose to Pittsburgh, but Browning would complete 19 of 26 pass attempts for 227 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. The plan to run the ball a bit more fell through as limited possession time and offensive success led to only 11 carries.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC North, staying in Cincinnati for a beat:

Another position for the Bengals experienced a change in starter as defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo announced rookie third-round pick Jordan Battle as the team’s starting strong safety over Nick Scott earlier this week, per Kelsey Conway of USA Today. Scott still had a role in today’s game but played a clear second fiddle to Battle. Asked what about Battle made him the choice at starter, Anarumo claimed it was his tackling ability.
Another AFC North starting quarterback underwent surgery for their season-ending injury as the Browns‘ Deshaun Watson had a procedure done on his shoulder earlier this week, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Watson is expected to be healed in time to start the 2024 season.
A big story in the struggles of the Steelers’ offense this year has been the frustration of wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Those frustrations reportedly boiled over after last week’s loss to the Browns, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, leading to a heated argument with star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick that needed to be broken up by teammates Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt. Johnson only had two catches on the day and was visibly upset on the sideline as he engaged in an animated conversation with head coach Mike Tomlin. Johnson’s annoyance would continue as he was later seen “chirping” at the coaches all the way to the locker room after the game before being confronted by Fitzpatrick. Perhaps the firing of former offensive coordinator Matt Canada helped to cool Johnson down, as Johnson received eight targets today.

Robert Griffin III Lobbied To Sign With Browns

November 18th, 2023 at 9:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Deshaun Watson injury has left the Browns thin on experience at quarterback. Cleveland hosted Joe Flacco on a workout yesterday in a sign of interest regarding a deal, but another veteran passer was aiming for a contract.

Robert Griffin III spoke about the vacancy created by Watson requiring season-ending shoulder surgery on his RG3 and The Ones podcast (video link). Despite not having played since the 2020 season, the ESPN analyst stated his case for receiving a look one day prior to the Flacco visit.

“The Browns should start me as quarterback,” Griffin said. “One, at 33 years old, I understand the game better than I ever have in my entire career. I know how to slide, and I know when to slide. That was a huge issue in my eight years in the NFL. But I’ve learned. I’ve learned from my mistakes and I’m ready to showcase that I can get it done.”

The former Offensive Rookie of the Year last saw time as a backup with the Ravens in a stint which followed his one-year run with the Browns in 2016. Griffin was courted by a number of networks once his playing days appeared to be over, leading to his highly-anticipated arrival at ESPN. The former No. 2 pick has maintained, however, an openness to retuning to the field in the event an opportunity presented itself.

The Browns will rely on rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson and XFL alum P.J. Walker for the time being. That pair has made 10 combined starts in the NFL, a far cry from Griffin’s 42. Flacco, by contrast, has 180 starts to his name, including nine in the past three seasons during his time with the Jets. The latter would thus represent a more known commodity, and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com confirms Flacco was the Browns’ “primary target” with respect to depth under center.

As Cabot notes, Flacco would be seen as an emergency option in the event Thompson-Robinson were to struggle as a starter, potentially even receiving a look ahead of Walker if a deal were to be worked out. No agreement is in place yet, but it would come as little surprise if one were to emerge in the coming days. In any case, Watson’s recovery from his displaced glenoid fracture – a separate shoulder injury from the one affecting his rotator cuff for much of the 2023 season – will be a key Cleveland storyline.

On that point, Cabot adds that Watson should be able to resume throwing within a few months as part of his rehab process. That should be complete well before training camp for the 2024 campaign, the third of Watson’s fully-guaranteed, $230MM pact. That contract carries major cap implications for Cleveland, but for now attention will remain on the team’s current QB situation. That will not include Griffin, though he clearly still has the door open to an NFL return.

Browns’ Deshaun Watson To Undergo Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery

November 16th, 2023 at 8:40am CST by Sam Robinson

NOVEMBER 16: Watson will undergo surgery performed by renowned doctor Neal ElAttrache next week, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets. A full recovery is expected, while Cabot adds that a six-month timeline will likely be needed for Watson to receive clearance for a return to football action. Whether or not he undergoes open or arthroscopic surgery will play a role in determining the length of his absence, but the fact Watson will not play again until 2024 represents a major blow to Cleveland’s short-term prospects.

NOVEMBER 15: The Deshaun Watson shoulder saga will bring a pivotal plot twist. Despite making the past two starts, the highly paid Browns quarterback sustained a setback during the team’s win over the Ravens. An MRI has since confirmed an injury that will end Watson’s season.

Watson will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, according to the Browns. The team announced Watson sustained a displaced fracture in the glenoid. Watson had previously missed time because of a micro tear in his rotator cuff. After returning earlier this season and then helping the Browns erase a two-score deficit in Baltimore, he will not make another comeback.

In addition to the shoulder trouble that has defined Cleveland’s season, Watson is battling a high ankle sprain. The shoulder surgery will allow time for that matter to clear up as well, and the 6-3 team will be without its high-profile trade acquisition. The Browns will need to turn back to P.J. Walker, who usurped Week 1 backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson. The team will add a third QB, per GM Andrew Berry, but Walker is expected to be the starter moving forward.

The latest shoulder setback occurred in the second quarter Sunday, Berry said. The fracture was not viewed as a worsening of the torn right rotator cuff, according to cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. Berry said Wednesday morning (via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero) Watson indeed suffered a “completely new injury.” Watson’s upcoming surgery will not address the rotator cuff matter, Berry said.

While a full recovery is expected, this matter obviously threatens the Browns’ viability as a Super Bowl LVIII contender. Although Cleveland ended San Francisco’s unbeaten run without Watson and prevailed in Indianapolis after he left that game, Walker being asked to move forward as the full-time starter will deal a substantial blow to the rejuvenated team. The Browns are 4-1 in games Watson has finished this season.

After returning prematurely against the Colts in Week 7, Watson wanted to receive pain-killing injections and continue to play through this latest shoulder injury, Cabot reports. While this situation had previously involved the lightning-rod quarterback being cleared and not playing, Cabot notes Watson received information that his shoulder could could fall apart if he sustained another hit in the same spot. Multiple medical opinions led to this shutdown decision.

This is the second season of Watson’s five-year, $230MM fully guaranteed contract. The Browns restructured it in March, moving money into the mid-2020s and creating whopping cap figures post-2023. The team dropped Watson’s 2023 cap hit to $19.1MM, but the restructure inflated the 28-year-old passer’s 2024-26 cap numbers to $63.9MM. The Browns will likely push more money on this unprecedented contract into the future, but 2023 represented a key window — especially now with the team’s Jim Schwartz-run defense dominating — for the franchise.

The Browns, of course, traded Josh Dobbs — their handpicked 2023 backup — to the Cardinals before the season. Viewing Thompson-Robinson as ready to back up Watson, Cleveland sent Dobbs west in a swap that included a fifth-round pick coming back. Thompson-Robinson, a fifth-rounder out of UCLA, did not end up being ready to hold down the fort with Watson out. The Browns benched him after a blowout loss to the Ravens in Week 4. Walker has fared better, but the Browns’ non-Watson QBs carry a 1-to-8 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio this season.

Dobbs has since been moved to the Vikings and has helped the team to two wins since arriving. Dobbs said recently he expected to be traded to the Vikings or back to the Browns, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, who adds it not believed Cleveland was a true threat to reacquire the veteran backup. At the time, the Vikings — who had just lost Kirk Cousins to a season-ending Achilles tear — featured a greater need. Watson’s shoulder issue naturally made the Browns’ setup rather tenuous, but the team stood down at the deadline.

Cleveland has now lost Watson, Nick Chubb and right tackle Jack Conklin for the season. The team has managed to persevere without Conklin and Chubb, who were lost for the year in September. Watson has been a major part of that, though he has not recaptured the form he had displayed before the career-altering run of sexual misconduct and/or sexual assault accusations altered his reputation and led him out of Houston. Watson, however, had begun to play better in his latest return effort. He finished the Ravens game 20 of 34 for 213 yards and a touchdown, but the bulk of those incompletions came early. Watson rallied the Browns back from a 24-9 second-half deficit, completing his final 14 passes and leading a game-winning drive that culminated in a Dustin Hopkins field goal.

The Browns, who also recently placed left tackle Jedrick Wills on IR, exited Week 10 with a 63% chance to qualify for the AFC playoffs, according to ESPN’s FPI. They improved their chances in the loaded AFC North with the win in Baltimore, and while this injury may not crush the team’s wild-card hopes, it marks another disappointment for a franchise that absorbed considerable heat for acquiring Watson in the first place. The NFL then handed the embattled QB an 11-game suspension, extending his hiatus — which began when the Texans made him a healthy scratch throughout the 2021 season — well into the 2022 slate.

The Browns won a trade derby that consisted of the Falcons, Saints and Panthers. After it appeared Watson was set to choose Atlanta, Cleveland upped its extension offer to that $230MM guarantee proposal. Not only did the NFC South teams balk at that point, the ensuing run of big-ticket QB extensions did not follow suit. Lamar Jackson‘s pursuit of a fully guaranteed deal did not prompt the Ravens to match the Browns’ Watson terms, and the other QBs who signed for $50MM-plus per year do not come close in terms of fully guaranteed money. The Browns went 7-10 in Watson’s first year in Ohio, which came after an 8-9 campaign that ended up running Baker Mayfield out of town.

Mayfield playing through an injury to his non-throwing shoulder for most of the 2021 season moved him from a QB on the extension radar to one dealt for a fifth-round 2024 draft choice. The Browns also let Jacoby Brissett, who once again served as a team’s emergency replacement, defect to the Commanders in free agency. They had re-signed Dobbs — Brissett’s 2022 backup — in April but will move forward with Walker, who arrived just before the season. The Bears had released Walker previously, going with Division II-developed rookie Tyson Bagent behind Justin Fields.

Walker, who returned to the NFL in 2020 after a quality run in the abbreviated second XFL incarnation, has piloted the Browns to two wins. But the 28-year-old passer has completed just 49% of his throws this season. Watson ranks only 23rd in QBR and has endured steady hurdles in his road back from his defining midcareer issues, but his latest absence may well derail this year’s promising Browns edition.

NFL Injury Roundup: Saints, Watson, Heinicke, Thibodeaux

November 12th, 2023 at 7:41pm CST by Ely Allen

The Saints played much of the second half of their loss to the Vikings today without quarterback Derek Carr after the veteran passer took a nasty-looking hit from Danielle Hunter. It was announced that he was out for the remainder of the game with an injury to his throwing shoulder and that he was being evaluated for a concussion, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Further reports, provided by Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, claimed that while the initial belief is that Carr avoided a major shoulder injury, he will undergo more tests in order to determine the severity. Head coach Dennis Allen told the media that Carr was only held out of the game because of a concussion, per ESPN’s Katherine Terrell, and refused to comment any further on the situation.

In Carr’s absence, former starter Jameis Winston performed admirably. He only completed just over half of his pass attempts for 122 yards and threw two interceptions, but he also threw the team’s two touchdowns in order to bring the Saints within spitting distance of the Vikings. Despite Winston’s seemingly superior effectiveness, Allen assured the media that, when Carr is healthy, there is no quarterback competition.

Lastly, veteran cornerback Marshon Lattimore left the game, as well, with what is believed to be an ankle sprain, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. He will undergo an MRI tomorrow in order to determine the severity of his ankle injury.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL:

Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was forced to leave the field at times today during the Browns come-from-behind victory over the division-rival Ravens. He suffered an ankle injury late in the first half of the contest and, though he remained in the game for stretches at a time, he was noticeably limping at times. After the game, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported that Watson was in a walking boot. Watson claimed that while “he doesn’t feel great now…(he’ll) be fine” and should be ready to go next weekend.
Yet another quarterback was forced to leave their game today due to injury when the Falcons‘ new starting passer, Taylor Heinicke, was forced to leave early in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. This required Atlanta to return to former starter Desmond Ridder for the remainder of the contest. Ridder was fairly effective, leading the Falcons on a touchdown drive before failing to convert the two-point attempt that would’ve given the team a three-point lead. The team would go on to lose by those two points after Arizona kicked a game-winning field goal. This likely doesn’t change the team’s quarterback situation, if Heinicke is healthy enough to play, but hamstring injuries can be lingering and might open up more opportunities for Ridder.
In a blowout loss to Dallas this afternoon, Giants outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux was knocked out of the game with a concussion, per NFL Network’s Jane Slater. Thibodeaux’s absence opened up some playing opportunities for Boogie Basham, who saw an increased role due to injuries last week, as well.

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