Browns' Deshaun Watson Out vs. Seahawks amid Shoulder Injury; P.J. Walker to Start

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Wednesday that quarterback Deshaun Watson will miss Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks due to a shoulder injury, resulting in P.J. Walker starting for the second time in three weeks.

Watson missed two games with the shoulder ailment before returning last week, and Stefanski explained the decision to sit him in Week 8, noting that Watson has "residual swelling" in his shoulder:

Watson started the Browns' Week 7 win over the Indianapolis Colts, but he was removed from the game in the first quarter after taking a hit and did not return.

Prior to getting knocked out of last week's game, Watson was struggling, going just 1-of-5 for 20 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.

Watson was evaluated for a concussion after the hit, and while he was cleared, Stefanski decided to keep him out of the game, presumably due to his lingering shoulder issues.

Last year, the Browns traded three first-round picks and additional draft capital to the Houston Texans for Watson, and they signed him to an unprecedented five-year, $230 million, fully-guaranteed contract.

After serving an 11-game suspension in the wake of 24 female massage therapists alleging that Watson was responsible for sexual harassment and, in some cases, sexual assault, Watson started the final six games of the 2022 season for Cleveland.

The Browns went just 3-3, and Watson completed 58.2 percent of his passes for 1,102 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions.

Watson has struggled just as much in parts of four games this season, completing 61.7 percent of his passing attempts for 683 yards, four touchdowns and three picks.

Rookie fifth-round pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson started the first game Watson missed, but after he threw three interceptions in a 28-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the Browns turned to Walker.

The former XFL star was far from great in Week 6, going 18-of-34 for 192 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions, but he did enough to lead the Browns to a 19-17 upset win over the San Francisco 49ers, marking the Niners' first loss of the season.

After replacing Watson last week, Walker went 15-of-32 for 178 yards with no touchdowns and one pick, and he orchestrated the game-winning drive in a 39-38 come-from-behind road win over the Colts.

A road game against the 4-2 Seahawks in Week 8 was always going to be difficult regardless of the quarterback, but Walker perhaps gives the Browns the best chance to win until Watson is healed up.