Browns QB Deshaun Watson has season-ending shoulder surgery

By
Adam Burke
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912
 

Watson broke shoulder bone in win over Ravens

The Cleveland Browns are still a heavy -250 favorite to make the playoffs at DraftKings Sportsbook, but the task at hand got harder on Wednesday morning. Quarterback Deshaun Watson suffered a displaced fracture to the glenoid in his throwing shoulder and doctors recommended season-ending injury to avoid any further damage. Watson’s season ends having started six of Cleveland’s nine games.

 

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Betting impact of Deshaun Watson injury

While Cleveland is still more likely to make the playoffs than miss them per the DK odds, the Browns are now the long shot to win the AFC North at +450, even though they are only one game back in the win column with the Ravens and tied with the Steelers for second place at 6-3. 

From a point spread standpoint, the Browns are predominantly -2.5 in the market for Week 11 against the Steelers. DraftKings had -4 before the injury news and went down to -2, so for this week, the difference between Watson and PJ Walker appears to be about two points. That seems to vary based on the opponent, as the announcement that Watson would start a couple weeks ago against the Cardinals was more like a three-point upgrade.

The difference between Watson and Dorian Thompson-Robinson remains to be seen, but reports are circulating that the Browns will roll with DTR over Walker on Sunday against Pittsburgh.

The Browns have an in-season win total of 10.5 (+115/-145) with these remaining games: Steelers, @ Broncos, @ Rams, Jaguars, Bears, @ Texans, Jets, @ Bengals.

They are +4500 to win the Super Bowl.

Deshaun Watson stats

Watson’s 2023 season ends with a 61.4% completion rate and a 7/4 TD/INT ratio. He was sacked 17 times and had 26 carries for 142 yards. Based on video, he was presumably injured on a three-yard scramble on a 2nd-and-9 play in the first half of that Ravens game.

The Browns went 5-1 in Watson’s six starts, with their only loss coming in a game against the Steelers where Pittsburgh did not run a single play inside Cleveland’s 30, but had two defensive scores on Watson turnovers.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson stats

It was reported Wednesday morning by NFL Insider Jordan Schultz that DTR would get the call for Cleveland in Watson’s absence. He was 19-of-36 for just 121 yards with three interceptions and four sacks in his first NFL start against the Ravens back in Week 4.

PJ Walker stats

Walker has completed just 49% of his passes. He has only thrown one touchdown pass against five interceptions on the season and the Browns are 1-1 in his starts. With the Trade Deadline in the rearview, we’ll see if Cleveland signs anybody to help out this beleaguered QB room.

Follow The Money on Watson injury

With Wednesday morning’s very early breaking news out here in Las Vegas, Mitch Moss and Pauly Howard jumped on it right away on Follow The Money and had this to say:

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