Browns make Deshaun Watson decision after keeping Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel

Things are starting to take shape for the Cleveland Browns. The AFC North team has now made a final decision regarding Deshaun Watson after keeping rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel on the roster.

On Tuesday, the Browns announced that Deshaun Watson will be placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. This means he will miss at least the first four weeks of the 2025 NFL season.

After their final preseason game, the Cleveland Browns confirmed that both Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel made the 53-man roster. Now, the two rookies are set to battle for the role of Joe Flacco’s backup in 2025.

Browns send Deshaun Watson to PUP list: Is his time in Cleveland over?

Deshaun Watson suffered a torn Achilles twice during the 2024 season—a devastating injury that often alters careers. With the Browns placing him on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, it’s clear he has not fully recovered, and his future remains in serious doubt.

When the team named Joe Flacco as the starter, it already signaled Watson wasn’t ready. But this latest move suggests the former Texans star may not see the field at all in 2025.

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Many around the league believe this could mark the end of Watson’s tenure in Cleveland. Since arriving, he has failed to meet expectations, and the franchise has dropped several hints that a reset may be coming.

One of the clearest signs came during the 2025 NFL Draft, when the Browns selected not one but two quarterbacks—Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders—suggesting they want to test both and identify Flacco’s successor.

Who is Joe Flacco’s backup in 2025?

For now, Dillon Gabriel is listed as QB2 on the Browns’ depth chart. Many fans argue Shedeur Sanders had the better preseason, but head coach Kevin Stefanski ultimately chose Gabriel as Flacco’s primary backup.

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Flacco, meanwhile, is seen as a steady but short-term option. The veteran is expected to retire after this season, leaving Cleveland with a looming question: Who takes the reins in 2026—Gabriel or Sanders?