It is entirely possible that, after two surgeries to repair an injured Achilles tendon and two draft picks used in an effort to replace him, Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson still manages to find his way back on the field here in 2025. Cleveland guaranteed all of the $230 million in Watson’s contract, after all, and pushed back enough of his salary in salary-cap gymnastics that there really isn’t much to lose by letting Watson play again.
As of now, his return is still in doubt. He began the season on the the Physically Unable to Perform list (PUP) and by NFL rule, any player on the PUP list can have their practice window opened, which allows them to return to the field. The team then has three weeks to activate the player, and if he’s still not healthy, he goes back on the PUP for the remainder of the season.
Watson would need to pass medical exams before he can return to practice. On Wednesday, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski was asked about Watson’s potential return, a topic he clearly does not like addressing, and said, “I don’t have an update there.”
Watson, though, does have an update. Sort of. He posted photos of himself this week working out at the Browns facility, and throughout the process of his rehab, multiple reports have surfaced suggesting he intends to return to play.
Watson captioned his workout photos: “Be READY! More GLORY.”
Whether the Browns are ready for Watson is another story. Last week, Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot said on the “Orange and Brown Talk” podcast that it is Watson’s intent to get back on the field this season–even if the Browns prefer to ignore him altogether.
“From people I talk to, he feels like he can come in and be successful with this football team,” she said. “So, I don’t know if he will get that chance, I have no idea if he will get that chance. He is like, he who shall not be named, nobody wants to talk about him. Nobody wants to answer a question about him. And we really don’t know.”
As things stand, the Browns are fully committed to Dillon Gabriel as the quarterback, despite his decidedly poor showing through five starts. Gabriel has completed only 58.6% of his passes and is averaging just 170.0 yards passing per game, for a rating of 80.4. At Pro Football Focus, Gabriel has notched a grade of 49.9, which ranks 37th out of 37 graded quarterbacks this season.
On Wednesday, in addition to being asked about Deshaun Watson, Stefanski was peppered with questions about Gabriel’s inaccuracy, even on short and intermediate throws. He has completed just two of his eight deep passes all season, and is just 17-for-42 (40.5%) on passes between 10-19 yards.
Said Stefanski: “I would just caution to any quarterback, young and old – you’re going to miss throws. It’s an occupational hazard that you’re likely not going to go 100% completion percentage. It’s an occupational hazard that a corner is going to get beat deep every once in a while. So, you’re not going to make every throw.”
Chris Boswell is entering his 11th season as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ kicker. The veteran made his preseason debut on Saturday night despite a number of rumors surrounding his contract, with Boswell officially ending his hold-in prior to the game on Saturday. Boswell led the league in made field goals in 2024 with 41 and will look to continue building upon his Pro Bowl season.
Boswell has been one of the most reliable kickers in the NFL for over a decade. His Pro Bowl appearance in 2024 is just his second despite nailing 88% of field goals attempted throughout his career. Boswell signed a four-year deal in 2022 worth $20 million and is under contract through 2026. The veteran making his season debut in Saturday’s matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signals that the long-time Steelers’ kicker will be ready to go with no further distractions by Week 1.
Boswell kicked Saturday’s opening kickoff to get things going while also kicking off following a Brandon Johnson touchdown. The veteran didn’t kick a field goal in his first appearance of the preseason, but rookie kicker and former Pittsburgh Panther Ben Sauls booted two extra points and missed his only field goal attempt of the night. Boswell has been an anchor on the Steelers’ special teams unit his entire career and will look to continue his success in Pittsburgh throughout 2025.
The veteran kicker has made it clear he wants a new contract. Boswell was a first team All-Pro selection in 2024 for the first time in his career and was the third-highest paid kicker in the AFC North. Boswell was tied with former Baltimore Ravens’ kicker Justin Tucker as the highest paid kicker in the league when he originally signed his extension in 2022, but the veteran now finds himself ranking at 11th among all kickers in terms of average annual salary.
Boswell is not the only veteran on the Steelers’ roster that wants a raise. Legendary defensive lineman Cam Heyward has recently sent the sports world into a frenzy by holding in throughout training camp. Heyward signed a three year $45 million extension to stay in Pittsburgh last summer, but the veteran has continued to hold-in for a number of weeks now and has been rumored to request a significant increase in pay from General Manager Omar Khan and the Steelers’ front office.
Heyward is a 14-year veteran who has spent his entire career in Pittsburgh. The veteran had arguably one of the best years of his career in 2024 and may use that as leverage in contract talks, but many feel as if the Steelers’ front office will only be willing to pay him a certain amount due to the legendary defensive lineman entering his 15th season at age 36.
Pittsburgh has not been known to negotiate with players just one year into their deal in the past, but Heyward could find himself becoming an exception as the veteran is a crucial component of the Steelers’ defensive line.
Boswell and Heyward find themselves in very similar situations. Both veterans are the longest tenured players on Pittsburgh’s roster while each found themselves having an excellent season last year. Boswell playing in the preseason game on Saturday against the Bucs is a promising sign going forward, as many are anticipating Heyward to make his 2025 debut in the near future as well.