Browns General Manager Andrew Berry discussed a variety of topics during a Wednesday press conference, including quarterback Deshaun Watson‘s impending return to action.
Watson is nearing the end of his 11-game suspension and has been at the team’s facility for meetings and conditioning work over the last few weeks. Berry said “it’s been great to have him back in the building” and confirmed that the plan is for him to start against the Texans when he’s first eligible to play in Week 13.
Berry doesn’t want the expectations to be too high for Watson’s return to action. Berry said that it’s “not really our mindset” to expect Watson to carry the team once he returns to game action for the first time since the 2020 season.
“We spent a lot of time with Deshaun in the spring in camp and banked a lot of good reps during the time,” Berry said, via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “That being said, like I don’t think that our approach isn’t to, really any quarterback, but you know, certainly with the time that Deshaun has had off to expect him to shoulder everything. That’s not necessarily how the team is designed or, you know put together. I don’t know that that would be a fair ask for any quarterback. In a couple weeks, we’ll be in that world where we’re getting him ready to play and we’ll handle it appropriately.”
Given what the Browns gave up for Watson, high expectations are going to be something he and the team will have to deal with regardless of how long that it’s been since he was on the field. Until then, they’ll hope that last Monday’s win over the Bengals isn’t the last they’ll celebrate with Jacoby Brissett running the offense.