Cleveland Browns Quarterback Officially Reinstated

The Cleveland Browns will finally have a chance to see what they have to gain from one of the biggest gambles in NFL history. Quarterback Deshaun Watson has finally been reinstated following his 11-game suspension and will likely start in Week 13 against the Houston Texans, his former team.

After an 11-game suspension for violations of the NFL's personal conduct policy, #Browns QB Deshaun Watson has complied with all the terms and now is officially back and active.

He'll be Cleveland's starting QB. https://t.co/mr3GYt7wPc
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 28, 2022

Watson was suspended due to 30+ accusations of sexual assault during his tenure with the Texans. The outstanding cases kept him from playing in 2021, but he has since completed confidential settlements with the majority of the victims and agreed to various treatment plans insisted upon by the NFL.

Despite the outstanding accusations, the Browns acquired Watson earlier this year for a massive trade package that included multiple first-round picks and a fully-guaranteed five-year, $230 million extension. Watson had yet to settle at the time, and his inevitable suspension had yet to be determined.

Before the controversy, Watson had established himself as one of the league's most exciting and elusive young quarterbacks. With a Russell Wilson-like skillset, Watson was able to threaten defenses with his arm as well as his legs, even leading the league in passing yards in 2019 for an ultimately overmatched 4-12 Texans squad.

The Browns traded for Watson hoping he might lift them beyond the mediocrity they'd achieved under their former first-overall pick Baker Mayfield, but there's no guarantee Watson's playstyle can translate to consistent, quality offenses. Despite his stature in the league, Watson has yet to lead a team to a top-10 finish in points scored.