"We took a big swing and miss with Deshaun." Browns owner Jimmy Haslam's words about Deshaun Watson might be ringing truer than ever. On Wednesday, the Cleveland Browns activated his 21-day window so he could join the roster and play in the 2025 season. Despite being back in practice, a new update puts the Browns' plans to activate him in jeopardy.

According to CBS, insider sources say Deshaun Watson has a very slim chance of making the 21-day window, and if he doesn't make it, he's out for the season. Let's understand what the timeline looks like.

So far this season, Watson was on the physically unable to perform list until the Browns activated his window on Wednesday. Based on that, Watson has until Christmas week to get back into playing shape, but that looks unlikely. Watson will be taking very limited practice reps in Week 14, and going forward, the pressure will only mount.

"If he is not activated by Week 17, Watson will revert to season-ending injured reserve. By the time the Browns must make the decision, Watson will have fewer than 10 practices under his belt after being away from the field for more than a year." CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones wrote.

With the nature of Watson's injury, caution is incredibly important. So it looks like Shedeur Sanders will continue calling the shots as QB. Despite a loss against the 49ers, Sanders had a touchdown in his second start. With Watson guiding him from the sidelines, the Browns could have a solid QB. But what about Watson himself?

The Browns Have Limited Options With Deshaun Watson

The Browns know Deshaun Watson is still healing from major injuries, so they may let him rest for the remainder of the season. However, his massive contract makes everything harder.

He will count $80 million against the salary cap next season, and releasing him would cause nearly $167 million in dead money. Because of earlier restructures, the Browns will have his contract on their books until 2030. This makes moving on from him almost impossible.

So, unless a miracle trade happens, Deshaun Watson will be a Cleveland Browns quarterback next season. The Browns might want to let Shedeur Sanders finish this season, while also keeping their very expensive quarterback healthy for next year. This plan would protect both the team’s future and their investment.

In the end, this leaves fans with one big question: Will the Browns trust Watson as their future quarterback, or are they slowly preparing for life without him?

Written by

Mohd Mudabbir Ansari

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi