Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is bringing about 15 offensive teammates on an international trip during the team’s optional team activities for the second year in a row.
The Browns are beginning Phase II of their offseason program this week, so it’s clear a good chunk of the team won’t be participating. It is a sequel to last year’s trip to Atlantis in the Bahamas that Watson paid for after signing his fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million deal.
Watson, however, made sure to inform head coach Kevin Stefanski before making the move.
“He did, but as you know, voluntary program,” Stefanski said Friday, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. “I’m very appreciative of the guys that are here and working here. When the guys decide that they want to get together and be a team, I’m very, very much in favor of that.”
Stefanski added that he had no clue if Watson went to Puerto Rico with a script of plays to work on with his teammates.
“I don’t know if we’re allowed to,” Stefanski said. “So if we’re not allowed to, no; if we’re allowed to, yes.”
Watson, who is in his first full season with the Browns, will have some new pass catchers in receivers, Elijah Moore and Marquise Goodwin. Jordan Akins, a tight end who joined the Browns this summer, previously played with Watson in Houston.
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The Browns front office is hoping they get the Watson who played in Houston for years as opposed to the Watson who played in a limited amount of games in 20222 due to a suspension. Last off-season, the Cleveland Browns acquired Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson in a blockbuster trade. Cleveland sent Houston their first-round draft picks in 2022, 2023, and 2024, their third-round pick in 2023, and fourth-round picks in 2022 and 2024.
Watson missed the first 11 games of the season, was fined $5 million due to sexual misconduct.
Last season, Watson finished 3-3 with a career-low 58.2 percent completion rate and a 79.1 passer rating. The 27-year-old completed 1102 passes for 1,102 yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions. He carried for 175 yards and scored once.
