Browns GM Andrew Berry Calls Decision Not to Play Deshaun Watson "Easy"

Watson's shoulder injury not expected to be long-term

Generally, it's considered better for teams to have their bye week later in the season, but despite the Cleveland Browns being among the first group of teams to enjoy a week away from football, their bye week may have come at just the right time.

With quarterback Deshaun Watson battling a shoulder injury – sustained in the team's Week Three win over the Tennessee Titans – which kept him out of action in Sunday's loss to Baltimore, the Browns signal caller could use a little extra time to heal. Still, questions remained about the odd circumstances that surrounded Watson's eventual decision not to play. Yet another reason the bye may have come at the perfect time, as it provided an opportunity for Browns General Manager, Andrew Berry to explain what exactly led to Watson missing Sunday's game against the Ravens.

"We were optimistic that he would play," Berry said at the team facility Wednesday. "He was optimistic that he would play, and he worked his tail off turning the week to rehab and be ready to go. When we got out on Sunday and we took him through the pregame workout it became obvious to all of us that he couldn't throw or drive the ball well enough to perform in the game."

The pregame workout Berry described was captured on video by multiple outlets on Sunday. Things turned ominous to spectators when Watson spent an extended period of time talking with the Browns training staff after going through a throwing drill. Reports indicate that Watson was medically cleared to play, but that the team ultimately opted for starting fifth-round pick Dorian Thompson Robinson in his place. Berry called the decision "easy."

"This is your quarterback, he said. "it's his job to throw the ball anywhere from 30-35 times a game and if he can't push it, if he can't throw it down the field which became evident early in the workout, it became a very easy decision for us to not put him out there."

Watson's adamancy on Friday, despite missing the entire week of practice with what was being described as a "shoulder contusion," and only throwing a few passes during Friday's session, likely contributed to the shock value of Sunday's eventual decision not to play the 28-year-old. Berry pointed to Watson's progression throughout the week – going from not being able to lift his arm on Monday, to attempting passes by week's end – and his hyper-competitiveness as reasons why both parties felt he'd be ready by kickoff, even referencing a situation from 2018 where the then Houston Texans QB bussed 12 hours to Jacksonville to play in a game while nursing a punctured lung.

In this instance, there doesn't seem to be much concern about the lingering impact of the ailment. Head coach Kevin Stefanski revealed on Monday that there was no structural damage to Watson's shoulder, something Berry reiterated on Wednesday.

"We don't view it as a long-term injury," Berry stated. "We're optimistic it will heal in the short-term and he'll be ready to go."