Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol ahead of Sunday’s Week 9 matchup against the New Orleans Saints, though he remains listed as questionable and will not start.
Head coach Todd Monken confirmed earlier in the week that second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders will get the nod under center in New Orleans, a decision driven by Watson’s limited practice time while working through the protocol.
Watson entered the protocol on Tuesday after reporting delayed symptoms from a helmet-to-helmet hit delivered by Pittsburgh Steelers safety Jaquan Brisker on the third play of last Sunday’s 27-6 loss.
An unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant evaluated him on the sideline, cleared him to return, and he finished the game with 27 completions on 39 attempts for 324 yards.
Team medical staff also checked him after the game and again Monday morning, finding no symptoms either time. He later told staff that symptoms began Monday night, prompting his immediate placement in the protocol.
The five-step return-to-participation process requires progressive activity, symptom monitoring, and independent neurological clearance before a player can resume full contact.
Watson was limited when he returned to the practice field Friday after missing Wednesday and Thursday sessions.
Even with Saturday’s clearance, Monken has indicated Sanders will start because the starting quarterback has not been able to take full team reps during the week.
Watson could still be active as the backup or serve as the emergency third quarterback if the team activates him.
The development comes as the Browns, sitting at 5-3, look to keep pace in a competitive AFC North.
Watson has completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 1,806 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions in eight starts this season, and he is tied for the league lead with five fourth-quarter game-winning drives.
Sanders, a 2025 fifth-round pick, started seven games as a rookie and has prepared as the primary backup all year. He took the majority of first-team snaps this week while Watson progressed through the protocol.
In related roster news Saturday, the Browns signed defensive tackle Sam Kamara to the active roster from the practice squad and added tight end Carsen Ryan to the practice squad while elevating him for the Saints game.
Kamara has appeared in three games this season and recorded 10 tackles.
The moves provide additional depth as Cleveland prepares for a road contest in which its quarterback situation has shifted quickly from the starter working through concussion steps to a young backup taking the first snap.
Whether Watson dresses and sees any action remains a game-day decision. For now, the Browns will turn to Sanders as they try to rebound from the loss in Pittsburgh and stay relevant in the division race.
