Deshaun Watson is getting another shot to rewrite his story with the Cleveland Browns after beating out Shedeur Sanders for the starting job. Injuries and suspensions have limited the three-time Pro Bowler to just 19 games since arriving in Cleveland, and over that stretch he’s thrown for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
The Browns recently made it official: Watson will be one of Cleveland’s offensive captains, alongside guard Zion Johnson. He’ll be joined on the captains’ list by cornerback Tyson Campbell, 2025 fifth overall pick Mason Graham and long snapper Rex Sunahara ahead of the Week 1 opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 13.
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
With that kind of responsibility now on his plate, the three-time Pro Bowler is going to need his receiving corps pulling its weight. Jerry Jeudy is the clear veteran of the group, while rookies KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston are expected to bring fresh juice to the offense. Tylan Wallace and Malachi Corley round out the mix behind them.
Cleveland had big plans for Isaiah Bond, too, before a concussion in the team’s second preseason game slowed him down. By late August, the rookie was nearing a return and looked ready to settle in as the No. 4 option behind Concepcion, Boston and Jeudy.
On Monday, the news Browns fans were waiting for finally came. Bond cleared concussion protocol and returned to practice (h/t Mary Kay Cabot).
Video circulating on X showed him connecting with Sanders on a deep ball during team reps, a sign he hasn’t lost a step, as shared by reporter Dan Labbe.
He caught just 18 of 44 targets for 338 yards without a touchdown as a rookie, but his role was always built around stretching the field deep. Now it’s a matter of Bond staying healthy through the opener and proving why Cleveland kept him on the 53-man roster in the first place.
The Browns open the regular season against the Jaguars on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 1 p.m. ET.
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