As QB Deshaun Watson took different sets of reps with both the first and second teams in the 11-on-11 periods on the final day of veteran minicamp, he threaded a pass to TE Blake Whiteheart, connected with WR Luke Floriea deep on a wheel route and found WR Denzel Boston for a completion.
While Watson was around the team and at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus during the 2025 season during his recovery, the offseason program has been his first chance to step out onto the field in a Browns' uniform again.
Watson first ruptured his Achilles tendon in Week 7 of the 2024 season and missed the remainder of the season. He then re-ruptured the tendon and underwent another surgery in January 2025, missing the entirety of the 2025 season. Watson said he now feels "fully healthy," and participating in all nine weeks of the program – including the voluntary minicamp and OTAs – has been beneficial.
"It's been great," Watson said. "Especially being off the field for the last year and a half, two years. Anytime you get the opportunity to go out there and just compete and just cut it loose has been awesome. So, I think the biggest thing for me is just being out there, going out there and just reacting, cutting it loose. Don't get too worried about making mistakes. That's part of the game, part of this period where we're in. So again, I'm having fun. I'm enjoying the guys. I'm enjoying the locker room. I'm hanging out with them outside the building. It's been a good nine weeks, for sure."
As Watson has learned the new offensive system head coach Todd Monken and offensive coordinator Travis Switzer are installing, he sees the system as handing much of the responsibility to the quarterbacks – similar to an element of the system he experienced in Houston. Watson said he feels comfortable in that type of system that gives the responsibility to the quarterback where they have to own their choices of what they decide to do on the field.
The Browns are in the midst of a quarterback competition, and Watson and QB Shedeur Sanders handled the first-team reps during OTAs and minicamp. Monken's approach during veteran minicamp featured each having one full day with the first team and then splitting the reps on the final day of minicamp on June 11.
The competition will also continue into training camp, as Monken said both Sanders and Watson have earned the opportunity to continue competing for the starting job. They will continue alternating between the two working with the first team in the beginning of training camp as they work through their evaluations.
For Watson, it's an opportunity he is not taking for granted, and ultimately, wants to earn the starting job.
"I think each and every person that walks into the locker room should have that mindset that you want to start in this league," Watson said. "That's why we show up each and every day, to be able to go out there and perform on Sundays or whenever that day is. So, yeah, so it's definitely the main focus of why I work hard to be able to come back the way I do."
Both Monken and quarterbacks coach Mike Bajakian have been impressed with Watson over the course of the offseason program. Monken highlighted Watson's athleticism, calling it "one of his superpowers," as well as his ability to play with his feet. Bajakian also noted how Watson has utilized the offseason program to master the procedure at the line of scrimmage with the different checks, motions and progressions.
"So, the biggest thing for him was being able to translate what we're doing to something he's done in the past," Bajakian said. "He's an extremely fast processor, very smart guy, he's been working his butt off. The amount of preparation he put in before we even were able to get our hands on him, in phase one, he came in and we started talking about schemes and concepts and techniques, and he would refer back to the Baltimore video and refer to things that Lamar (Jackson) was doing. It was obvious to us that before we had even got him on campus here, that he had done a lot of work of video work and things like that are pretty cool."
As the Browns break for the next six weeks and return in late July for the beginning of training camp, Watson knows Monken will eventually decide on the starter for the 2026 season. Until that decision comes, Watson and Sanders – as well the rest of the quarterback room in Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green– will continue to support one another and improve as a position group.
"We both have the opportunity to go out there and put out the best product for the team and let Monken and the organization choose who goes out there, and we're going to support each other," Watson said.
Get an inside look at the Cleveland Browns' offseason training as players gear up and go through drills during Mandatory Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Jared Verse (8) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive Coordinator Mike Rutenberg during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive tackle Spencer Fano (55) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. (51) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (42), Linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) and Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Denzel Boston (12) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Isaiah Bond (0) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
The linebackers during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (42) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Cornerback Tyson Campbell (7) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Center Luke Wypler (56) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Isaiah McGuire (57) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio (54) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive tackle Tyre Phillips (69) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Helmets during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. (51) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive lineman Adin Huntington (98) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Quincy Williams (5) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Running back Dylan Sampson (22) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive tackle Austin Barber (58) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive tackle Elijah Chatman (62) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Cornerback Nate Evans (43) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive guard Teven Jenkins (78) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Gage Larvadain (84) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive back D'Angelo Ross (20) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive guard Teven Jenkins (78) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive tackle Spencer Fano (55) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Cornerback Michael Coats Jr. (39) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Reid Carrico (38) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive back D'Angelo Ross (20) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Luke Floriea (81) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Gage Larvadain (84) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Luke Floriea (81) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Cornerback Tre Avery (11) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Tyreak Sapp (64) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Luke Floriea (81) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Long snapper Rex Sunahara (50) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Center Kingsley Eguakun (65) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Cleats during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive tackle Izavion Miller (60) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Benton Whitley (61) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (42) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Aaron Anderson (85) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Running back Davon Booth (29) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Quincy Williams (5) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Benton Whitley (61) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Reid Carrico (38) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive tackle Jeremiah Byers (63) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Long snapper Rex Sunahara (50) during the second day of mandatory minicamp on June 10, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
