Browns QB Deshaun Watson out vs. Ravens, rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson starts
The Cleveland Browns played Sunday without their starting quarterback.
Deshaun Watson was unable to start against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Instead, rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson got his first NFL start while Watson rested his shoulder.
The Browns' offense struggled as the Ravens cruised to a 28-3 victory.
The #browns were optimistic heading into today that Deshaun Watson would be able to go, but after a pregame warmup he's unable to per source.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) October 1, 2023
Exact details about Watson's shoulder injury aren't known. It's likely he injured it during the Browns' Week 3 win over the Tennessee Titans, but there was no indication that anything was wrong until the end of the week. The first we heard about any kind of issue was Wednesday, when Watson made an appearance at practice but was "resting his shoulder." At that time, the injury wasn't supposed to keep him out of Sunday's game.
Then Friday, Watson's throwing was limited in practice due to shoulder soreness. Head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters that he was "hopeful" Watson could play, which was surprising since no one had known his injury was that serious.
Despite a few reports Sunday morning that said Watson was going to play, the Browns sat their starting QB instead of risking further damage to his shoulder.
Thompson-Robinson, 23, spent four years playing for UCLA before the Browns drafted him in the fifth round in April. His first NFL game was a heated matchup against a division rival.
He looked very much like a rookie, going 19-of-36 for 121 passing yards and three interceptions.