Deshaun Watson is working his way back from surgery on his right shoulder.
His surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, has the Browns quarterback on a deliberate rehab plan, which is why Watson took only install and mental reps during team periods of the organized team activities Thursday.
“I think it’s a really good combination right now of him getting mental reps, him getting some of the live reps, live reps that he can get in more of a jog through tempo, and then obviously the routes and the throwing when he can get in on his throwing days,” offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey said, via Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan.
Watson underwent surgery Nov. 21 to repair a displaced fracture to the glenoid in his shoulder.
Dorsey is familiar with the deliberate rehab involved, having worked with Cam Newton coming off shoulder surgery in Carolina. Watson is on a pitch count and some of the reps come at half speed.
“We went through a similar thing in Carolina with Cam coming off of shoulder surgery where we had to make sure we’re monitoring distance of throws, couldn’t go past the surge yards, how many throws he’s making at practice,” Dorsey said. “All those things were basically throughout the entire year. . . . You see [Watson] continue each day ramping it up a little bit more and more. He threw the ball down the sideline, a vertical throw today, and that’s one I hadn’t seen from him a lot. We haven’t pushed him to do it, so that was good to see. So I think the more he grows and feels comfortable with it, the more you’ll start seeing those things get ramped up more and more.”
Backup quarterback Jameis Winston said Thursday that Watson has done an “incredible job” staying focused even when Watson is not taking live reps.
Winston is getting the first-team reps now, but the plan is for Watson to be fully cleared for training camp.
