The Browns GM isn't committed to choosing Deshaun Watson as the starting quarterback in 2025

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry was noncommittal when asked Wednesday about Deshaun Watson's standing with the franchise, as the quarterback's woes continued in Cleveland before his season-ending Week 7 Torn right Achilles tendon.

“Our focus with Deshaun, I would say any player with a season-ending injury and a serious injury, is primarily to make sure he gets healthy from the Achilles injury,” Berry said during a press conference with reporters during the bye week of the team. “We will clarify everything else at a later date.”

Before the injury, Watson recorded the lowest overall QBR of any qualified passer in the NFL. The Browns were 1-5 in Watson's six starts before the Achilles injury and did not reach 20 points in any of those games.

However, Berry said the offense's problems are not limited to Watson.

“We didn’t play well as a team and we didn’t play well as a unit on offense,” Berry said. “I think a lot of times when you don't play well on offense, obviously the starting quarterback and the playcaller get the most criticism. But in reality, the offensives come down to organization and synchronization. There’s just a lot of commonality.” Responsibility across the different position groups as to why we didn’t perform.”

Since trading away three first-round picks and giving Watson a fully guaranteed $230 million contract ahead of the 2022 season, Watson has played in 19 games, with each of his last two seasons ending due to injury. He missed the final eight games of the 2023 season after undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder. He served an 11-game suspension at the start of the 2022 season after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior during massage sessions.

Since his debut in Cleveland, Watson's 33.8 Total QBR ranks 32nd out of 33 qualified passers, better only than Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers.

Berry said he “fully supports” coach Kevin Stefanski’s decision to keep Watson in the starting lineup before his latest injury. Asked whether the decision to trade for Watson was made by himself or by the owners, Berry said: “We were all on board.”

The Browns still owe Watson $46 million over the next two seasons. Watson has $72.9 million in cap hits in the 2025 and 2026 seasons, both reported to be the second-most in the NFL. Cleveland would face dead cap hits of $172 million and $99 million in 2025 and 2026, respectively, if the team parted ways with Watson after the season.

A year after the record was 11:6 and made it to the playoffs, the Browns are tied for the worst record in the league at 2:7.

Jameis Winston took over for the injured Watson and Stefanski handed playcalling duties to offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey in Week 8. In a disappointing first half of the season, the team traded two veteran leaders: wide receiver Amari Cooper, who was traded to the Buffalo Bills, and defensive end Za'Darius Smith, who was dealt to the Detroit Lions before Tuesday's trade deadline.

When later asked if it was still possible for Watson to return as the Browns' starting quarterback, Berry said, “Yeah, I think that's always possible.”

Berry declined to assess the deal for Watson and whether it was a good trade.

“I’m really not in reflection mode,” he said.