Deshaun Watson Joins Browns in Las Vegas to Mentor Rookie QB

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson traveled with the team to Las Vegas on Sunday for the first time this season, positioning himself on the sideline to mentor rookie Shedeur Sanders during his NFL debut start against the Raiders.

Watson, who has been sidelined all year while recovering from a second Achilles tendon rupture suffered last October, joined the Browns on the road trip after making sufficient progress in his rehabilitation to handle the demands of game-day travel. He remains on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, but the team can activate a 21-day practice window for him at any point. Within that period, the Browns must decide whether to return him to the active roster or place him on the season-ending physically unable to perform list.

The 30-year-old Watson, acquired in a 2022 trade from the Houston Texans that cost Cleveland multiple first-round draft picks, signed a five-year, fully guaranteed contract extension worth $230 million upon his arrival. He has appeared in just 19 games for the Browns, completing 19 touchdown passes against 12 interceptions while dealing with injuries and a prior suspension. His most recent surgery addressed the...