The Cleveland Browns quarterback limbo doesn’t appear to get any easier. They traded Joe Flacco within the division. Since taking over the offense, rookie Dillon Gabriel has struggled to create any real spark. Shedeur Sanders, who looked impressive in his first start, struggled in his next. And now, Deshaun Watson is back at practice. But Stefanski’s recent comments have been frustrating for anyone who has been rooting for Watson’s return.

“My focus is obviously getting him back to playing football, practicing football, which he hasn’t done in over a year,” ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi quoted Stefanski recently on X. “So, it’s a good next step for him.”

Even after opening the practice window for Watson, Stefanski hasn’t shared any timeframe for when Watson could see real game action. Stefanski emphasized that neither his nor Watson’s priority right now is game activation within the opened 21-day practice window; instead, it’s rebuilding fundamentals and just getting back on the field.

“Really not my focus. Not his focus right this minute,” Stefanski said. “His focus is putting a helmet on, shoulder pads, throwing a football.”

This cautious approach aligns with Watson’s history of Achilles ruptures (initial tear in October 2024, re-rupture in January 2025, requiring two surgeries), and the Browns’ evaluation of current QB Shedeur Sanders amid a losing season. But for now, it appears that Watson has to take a back seat and wait for his turn.

When can we see Deshaun Watson back in action?

Rookie Shedeur Sanders will take charge of the Browns’ offense against the Titans in Week 14. He looked strong in his first official game, throwing for 209 yards with a 55% completion rate. His 66-yard touchdown pass to RB Dylan Sampson not only gave him his first NFL score but also made fans hopeful that the QB search might be finally over. But in the very next game, things fell apart, and if Sanders keeps putting up lackluster numbers, a switch to Watson could be on the cards. The big question remains: can Watson spark the Browns back to life?

The Browns’ playoff picture isn’t just unclear…it’s all but disappeared. Watson, who hasn’t played a full season since joining in 2022, doesn’t look like the long-term solution, and his stats so far have been modest, to put at best.

In three seasons for Cleveland so far, the 30-year-old quarterback has appeared in just 19 games. In all those appearances, he racked up 3,365 yards at a 61% completion rate. He averaged 6.1 passing yards per attempt during his time with the Browns.

The Browns have invested heavily in Watson with a fully guaranteed $230 million contract, but injuries and off-field issues have greatly limited his playing time, and the team has described the trade as a “big swing and miss.” But it would be interesting to see if Kevin Stefanski would go back to Watson after his 21-day practice window, or if Watson will watch the rest of the season from the sidelines.