As the Browns concluded the 2024 season with physical exams for all of their players, QB Deshaun Watson shared with the medical staff his concerns about his Achilles tendon injury.

Executive vice president and general manager Andrew Berry said Watson has suffered a setback in his recovery from the Achilles tendon injury, which will lengthen his recovery process. They are still gathering information about the extent of the setback and Berry said they have no timetable for his return to the field.

“This is new information that I have only received in the last few hours. So I don’t have everything yet,” Berry said. “I don’t want to rule anything out if there is a serious injury. We are still collecting all the information. And of course our focus is to make sure he gets as healthy as possible.”

Watson suffered an Achilles tendon injury in Week 7 against the Bengals, ending his 2024 season. After returning from a shoulder injury that ended his 2023 season, Watson finished the 2024 season completing 137 of 216 pass attempts for 1,148 yards and five touchdowns in seven games. He threw three interceptions and was sacked 33 times for a loss of 191 yards.

By the end of the season following his surgery, Berry said Watson’s recovery had made reasonable progress. It was too early in the process to determine where he was on the timeline for his recovery, but he was taking the necessary steps forward.

“Deshaun puts a lot of emphasis on getting healthy, and for obvious reasons,” Berry said. “That’s the first thing. That’s the most important thing. Deshaun is interested in being here. At no point did he indicate that he didn’t want to be here or leave town or anything like that. He’s really focused on getting here healthy and performing at a higher level.

Berry said they will continue to gather information about Watson’s injury setback in the coming days. Still, Berry reiterated that Watson’s setback will not have a significant impact on the quarterback acquisition strategy for the upcoming offseason.

“The reality is this (quarterback) room is going to look different next year,” Berry said. “Depending on the severity of the setback, it can obviously impact what the room looks like at the start of the season or camp.”