Report: Deshaun Watson mulling Achilles surgery options

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will soon undergo surgery on the ruptured Achilles he suffered on Sunday, and the signal caller is mulling two surgical options, Cleveland.com reported Monday.

Watson sustained the injury on a non-contact play during Sunday’s 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Watson is deciding between conventional surgery and the “speed bridge” procedure that New York Jets quarter Aaron Rodgers underwent last year, per the report. Rodgers was able to return about four months sooner than with the conventional surgery.

Further, primary backup QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson is also awaiting MRI results on the middle finger of his throwing hand, which he injured after replacing Watson in Sunday’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. X-ray results were negative, and MRI results were forthcoming, per reports Monday morning.

On a running play late in the second quarter Sunday, Watson’s right knee buckled, causing the three-time Pro Bowl selection to fall to the ground in obvious pain. Once he was loaded into the back of the cart, Watson, with a towel over his head, was visibly emotional as he was brought back to the locker room.

Before the injury, Watson was 15-of-17 passing for 128 yards against the Bengals. Watson, 29, entered Sunday with 1,020 passing yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions through six games (all starts) this season.

In his third season with Cleveland after four seasons with Houston, Watson entered Sunday’s start having thrown for 17,776 yards, 123 touchdowns and 48 interceptions in 72 games (71 starts) since entering the league in 2017 as the Texans’ first-round pick (No. 12 overall).

Thompson-Robinson, a 2023 fifth-round pick by Cleveland, took over for Watson in his first appearance in 2024. Thompson-Robinson, 24, played in eight games (three starts) last year, completing just 60 of 112 passes for 440 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions.

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