Browns' Deshaun Watson Will Start vs. Cardinals After Shoulder Injury Recovery

Deshaun Watson is ready to go.

The Cleveland Browns quarterback will start Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals after recovering from a shoulder injury, head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters Friday.

Stefanski's confirmation of Watson's status comes after the quarterback told reporters Thursday that he was "not sure" if he would be able to play on Sunday.

Watson returned to practice on Wednesday after missing three of Cleveland's last four games with a strained rotator cuff. He started a Week 7 win over the Indianapolis Colts but was removed after completing just one of five passes.

The 28-year-old took all of the first-team reps during the open portion of Friday's practice, per USA Today's Chris Easterling.

The Browns have been extremely cautious with Watson's injury, which the team initially downplayed when he first suffered the ailment.

Watson had a solid start to the 2023 campaign prior to injuring his shoulder. Through the team's first three games, he completed 63.7 percent of his passes for 678 yards and four touchdowns against two interceptions, in addition to rushing for 83 yards and one score.

P.J. Walker filled in for Watson during his absence, and he struggled to generate much offense, completing 49.5 percent of his passes for 618 yards and one touchdown against five interceptions, in addition to rushing for 31 yards.

That said, the Browns still have a winning 4-3 record and remain in contention for the AFC North title.

With Watson set to return, Cleveland should be able to defeat a struggling Arizona squad on Sunday that is 1-7 on the season.