Browns’ Shocking Move: Deshaun Watson and Mike Hall Jr. Land on Active/PUP – What It Means for the Season

Wide receiver David Bell, who dislocated his hip in Week 2 last season, went on the active/non-football injury list. That’s an indication he was injured away from the team facility.

The Browns placed quarterback Deshaun Watson on the active/physically unable to perform list, among several moves they announced Tuesday.Watson underwent a second surgery on his torn Achilles on Jan. 10 and is not expected to be ready to practice for a few months. The Browns are expected to place him on reserve/PUP before the season, forcing him to miss at least the first four games.The Browns, though, have four other quarterbacks on their roster, including rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. The team waived wide receiver Jaelen Gill with a non-football injury.Watson has rehabbed at the team facility, throwing passes to Jerry Jeudy and other Browns receivers.

It’s been quite the whirlwind around the Browns’ camp lately, hasn’t it? Just this Tuesday, they dropped a handful of roster moves that shifted the landscape more than a tad. The biggest bombshell? Quarterback Deshaun Watson landing on the active/physically unable to perform list after his second Achilles surgery on January 10. The prognosis? Not back to practice for several months—and with the season looming, looks like he’ll miss at least those first four games thanks to the reserve/PUP designation. Now, here’s where it gets intriguing: The Browns aren’t left in the lurch with four other quarterbacks ready to step up, including promising rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Watson’s been grinding away in rehab, tossing passes to Jerry Jeudy and others, keeping that chemistry alive despite the setback. Meanwhile, defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. is also on active/PUP, nursing his knee from the late-season injury, and wide receiver David Bell has moved to the active/non-football injury list after a tough month or so. Plus, the team waived Jaelen Gill due to a non-football injury. These moves — they’re a puzzle piece in the Browns’ larger game plan heading into the season, and I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds. LEARN MOREThe Browns also placed defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. on active/PUP as he rehabs the knee he injured in Week 18.