Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson did not participate in practice Wednesday, and his status is day to day as the team continues to treat an injury to his throwing shoulder, per Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski. Here’s what you need to know:
- Stefanski named P.J. Walker the No. 2 QB this week. Walker is on the team’s practice squad.
- Watson took a big shot in the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans in Week 3, but it’s unclear whether it was one hit or an accumulation of hits that caused the shoulder injury.
- Dorian Thompson-Robinson started for the Browns in a 28-3 loss to the Ravens on Oct. 1. He went 19-of-36 for 121 yards and three interceptions.
What to expect from Walker
The Browns added Walker to their practice squad in early September. Walker, 28, was cut by the Bears on Aug. 27 despite signing a two-year deal that included $2 million in guarantees in March. The Browns wanted a veteran for their practice squad after they traded Joshua Dobbs and left Thompson-Robinson as their No. 2.
Thompson-Robinson was so bad in Week 4 that the Browns named Walker as the team’s No. 2 quarterback this week before officially promoting him from the practice squad.
GO DEEPER
Jackson: Loss to Ravens proves Browns will only go as far as Deshaun Watson takes them
Walker made seven starts for Carolina from 2020-2022 and five last season. He’s completed 57.5 percent of his career passes with five touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He wasn’t a realistic option for the Browns in Week 4 because he’d spent less than a month with the team, but now he’s in line to play versus the 49ers. — Zac Jackson, Cleveland Browns writer
Required reading
(Photo of Deshaun Watson: Nick Cammett / Getty)
