Cleveland Browns open 2025 camp with Deshaun Watson on the PUP list, sparking a four-way QB battle. Who will lead the team as Watson's season is in doubt?
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
Welcome to day one of the most pivotal training camp in recent memory. As the Cleveland Browns hit the field on July 23, 2025, the air was thick with a new sense of urgency and one massive question mark. The Deshaun Watson era, for now, is officially on hold. With Watson placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, the stage is set for a wide-open, four-man competition to lead an offense desperate to climb out of the league's basement.
The Browns are 'ratcheting up intensity' and aiming to 'get this team hardened, calloused, ready' for the brutal AFC North.
The news that many expected became official Wednesday: QB Deshaun Watson will start training camp on the PUP list as he continues to rehab from last season's injury. He's joined by rookie DL Mike Hall, while WR David Bell lands on the Non-Football Injury list. For Watson, however, the implications are massive. He's expected to miss the first few weeks of the regular season, and with a $40 million insurance policy on his contract, there's growing speculation he may not see the field at all in 2025. This move officially closes one door, for now, and throws another wide open.
With Watson sidelined, the spotlight shifts to the most compelling story in Berea: the quarterback competition. It's a fascinating mix of youth and experience. Veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett bring established, if inconsistent, track records. But all eyes are on the rookies. Third-round pick Dillon Gabriel is viewed as a potential early contributor, while fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders, who impressed in the spring, is the wildcard. Head coach Kevin Stefanski has promised a true competition, a stark necessity for an offense that finished last in scoring in 2024.
This isn't just another training camp. Following a disastrous 3-14 campaign, Coach Stefanski and his staff are determined to forge a new identity. According to NFL Insider Nathan Zegura, the intensity has been 'ratcheted up' with a clear goal: 'get this team hardened, calloused, ready' for the physical demands of the AFC North. This shift away from the laxer atmosphere of previous years is a direct response to last season's failures and a clear message that mediocrity will not be tolerated.
While the quarterback battle will dominate headlines, two other players are considered essential to the team's success. The Ultimate Browns Show recently identified a trio of game-changers who will define the 2025 season: rookie QB Shedeur Sanders, veteran DE Myles Garrett, and No. 5 overall pick Mason Graham. Graham's ability to adapt to the pro level and wreak havoc on the defensive line is seen as just as critical as finding a competent quarterback. Alongside the leadership of the newly extended Garrett, these rookies carry the weight of the franchise's hopes for a rapid turnaround.
The first dominoes have fallen. With Watson officially on the shelf to start camp, the Browns have committed to finding their 2025 leader from the four-man race. Every practice, every rep, and every throw will be scrutinized. The journey to rebound from 3-14 has begun, and it all starts under center. The question is, will the answer be found in a grizzled veteran or an unproven rookie?
