Watson is returning to L.A. to continue his rehab on his shoulder, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. He had surgery on November 21 following the season-ending injury he suffered against the Baltimore Ravens.

Watson was on the Browns’ sideline on Thursday, December 28 for the first time since his injury. He had been in Cleveland for a charity event he hosted around Christmas.

“Watson was cleared to be on the sidelines because he was more than a month out from surgery. He was there with Chubb, Grant Delpit and other injured Browns,” Cabot wrote. “He’s headed back to L.A. to continue rehabbing with his surgeon’s medical team, but will likely rejoin the team for the playoffs.”

Watson was shown several times on the broadcast supporting his teammates as they locked up a playoff spot. That included a big chest bump with Joe Flacco after he connected with Jerome Ford on a highlight reel 50-yard touchdown pass.

“I’m always excited to be around my brothers and my teammates and see those guys work and I’m going to be right there with ’em and supporting ’em and just keep pushing forward,” Watson told News 5 Cleveland on December 23. “It’s always tough just to be away from the teammates and just the game of football. You work so hard to be a part of it. But at the same time, injuries happen and you just got to be able to deal with the outcome that comes with it. But I’m very supportive, and the guys got to keep rolling because they’re on fire right now.”

Deshaun Watson Happy for Browns QB Joe Flacco

Watson has been fairly quiet since being sidelined but he recently gave a brief statement on Flacco, who has excelled as his replacement.

“He’s been great,” Watson told cleveland.com Tuesday, December 26. “He’s a veteran.”

Flacco has become a sensation during his short time with the Browns. He’s 4-1 as the starter and has passed for over 300 yards in four consecutive games. It’s a feat no other Browns quarterback has accomplished. Flacco’s latest accomplishment was helping the Browns lock up a playoff spot for just the third time since 1999.

Flacco’s strong play has generated some scuttlebutt about Watson’s future in Cleveland. However, the Browns are locked in on Watson as their franchise quarterback going forward. He signed a $230 million deal with Cleveland upon his arrival via trade in 2022.

Watson is expected to be ready to roll for the start of training camp next season.

Browns Add to QB Room After Latest Injury

The Browns have dealt with all kinds of injuries this season. One of the latest was to backup quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who was placed on injured reserve with a hip injury on December 26.

Former Browns starter PJ Walker was signed to the active roster and is currently serving as the backup to Flacco. However, the Browns added veteran Jeff Driskel to the active roster on Friday, December 29.

The Browns announced that Driskel was signed to the active roster off the Arizona Cardinals practice squad. He’ll likely suit up on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals in the Browns’ season finale. To make room on the roster, the team waived defensive end Sam Kamara.

Driskel could see time in the Browns’ season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals. If the Browns don’t have a shot to lock up the No. 1 seed, the team could rest a chunk of its starters. That may be smart considering the Browns’ rough injury luck this season.

The Browns will not have a shot at the No. 1 seed and the AFC North crown if the Baltimore Ravens beat the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.