BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Deshaun Watson did not practice Wednesday as the Browns preparations for the San Francisco 49ers kicked into high gear.
There’s also been a change with the team’s backup quarterback for Sunday.
Here’s our top Brownie Bites sans No. 4.
Watson watch – Watson did not speak on his regularly scheduled day in the locker room, which foreshadowed him not practicing. “He continues to be day-to-day with this injury and will continue to treat it and that's really, I'm not going to have updates past today,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. Stefanski declined to say if Watson will be a game time decision this week. “We'll see how the week goes,” Stefanski said. “I'm really focusing on today." Watson is dealing with a contusion in his right rotator cuff suffered in the third quarter of Cleveland’s 27-3 win over Tennessee September 24 that kept him out of the 28-3 loss to the Ravens at home on October 1. “With his injury, he's working extremely hard,” Stefanski said. “He is working around the clock and we're just going to continue to take it day by day.” Watson continued to rehab inside the team facility like Monday, which includes some throwing. “When you're dealing with this type of injury, you want to make sure that they have able to drive the football, make all the throws, those type of things,” Stefanski said. “Any injury, don't care if it's ankle, knee, shoulder, you have to be able to do your job and you have to be able to function and be able to do all the things that are asked of you to play your position. So that's really what it is. Making sure that he continues to rehab and get to a place where he's able to do his job at a high level.” Should Watson be unable to play Sunday, it would mark the 13th game he has missed since being acquired for six draft picks and being given a five-year, $230 million contract in March of 2022. “I think you have to embrace opportunities. You have to embrace these challenges,” Stefanski said. “Our players love the idea of playing a great team. We love going up against good coaches. I know a ton of their coaches. I know how good they are. So it's exciting. I mean, you get to watch them on tape. You see what makes them good. It's good scheme with good players. So all of our players, all of our coaches embrace that challenge.”
New No. 2 – P.J. Walker, who is currently on the practice squad, will start against the 49ers if needed Sunday. “Just felt like it was the right decision for the team,” Stefanski said. “I think P.J.'s been here now for a month plus getting a better understanding of what we do, but just felt like it was the right decision for the team.” It is unclear if the Browns will add Walker to the active 53-man roster or just have him be a game day elevation. Stefanski did not alter the game plan against Baltimore because he expected Watson to play, but understanding this time around Watson may not be available gives the coaching staff the opportunity to create a separate gameplan for Walker. “I think it's our job every week knowing who is available, who might be available and put a plan together,” Stefanski said. “You also have to be cognizant of the rest of the team and if sometimes if you have two or three game plans, that's too much to ask of the entire team. But there's ways to do it. There's ways to pivot both in game and during the week.” Considering the 49ers boats the No. 3 overall ranked defense that is tied for the league lead with eight interceptions this season, Stefanski is mindful of what he and possibly Walker, are up against. “With any player that's in there, we want to make sure that we give them the best chance to succeed,” Stefanski said. “So with your quarterback, you're always trying to get them easy completions, get them in a rhythm, all those type of things, but that's something that we work real hard during the week and make sure that we're giving our quarterbacks stuff that they're comfortable with. And I've told you guys before, there's so many plays you can run, but you just want to run plays that your quarterbacks are comfortable with.” Should Walker be called upon, it would mark the 10th time in 25 seasons of the expansion era that the Browns have had to use at least three different starting quarterbacks in a season.
DTR demoted – Dorian Thompson-Robinson has been bumped out of the backup role and is now the third quarterback this week. “Dorian's a young player, very excited about his future,” Stefanski said. “He's a young player, but he's a great teammate, so he's going to support who's ever in there, and he's got to be ready to play. As you guys know, you got to always stay ready.” Thompson-Robinson completed 52.1% of his passes for 121 yards with three interceptions in the loss to Baltimore. He found out around 10:30 he was starting against the Ravens shortly after Watson completed his on-field workout. “I felt like I prepared my butt off,” Thompson-Robinson said. “I took half the reps, all of the passing reps throughout the week because of Deshaun with his shoulder injury, so for me to get the timing with those receivers was really big for me. Would I like to have had more, yes, but that’s an excuse. I think just learning how to manage the game better, it’s a different type of game in the NFL than it is from college. With that being my first experience, I definitely have a lot to learn from and took a lot of key things away from that game.” Should Watson not play, DTR would still be active to back up Walker. “This business isn't easy, this position isn't easy,” Thompson-Robinson said. “So for me, I'm trying to manage it all from the pressure to the switching of my position every week to how I got to prepare and everything like that, and what they're asking me to do on a day-to-day basis as a rookie and as a backup. I'm just trying to manage all that as well as still being able to help this team win.”
Be like MIKE – 49ers linebacker Fred Warner was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in San Francisco’s annihilation of the Cowboys Sunday night. Warner had eight tackles plus a sack, interception and forced fumble in the blowout. “Much respect for that whole linebacker crew,” linebacker Anthony Walker said. “Obviously Fred being the MIKE and I play MIKE, obviously just he does everything well. He's able to be efficient in coverage. They put a lot on him to make sure the middle of the field is taken care of, and he does that job. Probably one of the best in the NFL, if not the best.” The 49ers defense ranks third in total defense, second against the run, 12th against the pass and No. 1 in interceptions and turnover differential through five weeks.
Quote of the day – 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked Wednesday in San Francisco what he remembered about his one year in Cleveland with the Browns but he didn’t mention being forced to play Johnny Manziel, which torpedoed the 2014 season, or his presentation to get out of town as quickly as possible following it. “I really liked living out there, some good people and it was cold,” Shanahan said after pausing for a few moments, presumably as he thought of something nice to say. “My car was always dirty because snow was on the ground a lot. Never melted it seemed like, but I really enjoyed the stadium. I enjoyed the people and it was just one year though. It wasn't very long.”
Injury report – DNP: QB Deshaun Watson (right shoulder), LG Joel Bitonio (knee), DE Myles Garrett (foot), TE David Njoku (face, hand), WR Amari Cooper (rest); LIMITED: RB Jerome Ford (knee), C Ethan Pocic (chest/knee/foot)
