The Cleveland Browns still don’t know whether their starting quarterback, Deshaun Watson, will be ready to go for the Week 6 clash against the San Francisco 49ers. But what they do know is that they want P.J. Walker to be under center if Watson is forced to miss the game.
Watson has been dealing with a lingering shoulder injury that caused him to miss the 3-28 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Cleveland turned to rookie signal-caller Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who struggled in his first NFL start and finished the game with three interceptions.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Thompson-Robinson’s poor performance prompted Browns’ head coach Kevin Stefanski to demote the UCLA Bruins product to third string and elevate Walker from the practice squad to serve as Watson’s backup.
Speaking with reporters on Thursday, Stefanski didn’t offer much detail about Watson’s status for the 49ers game, saying the team is yet to make the final decision.
“With injuries, you just have to treat each one specifically,” Stefanski said. “And with this one, that’s what we’re doing. So (we’re) just taking information from our medical staff, from Deshaun, and making sure that we’re making the right decisions with everything.”
P.J. Walker spent 2022 with the Carolina Panthers, playing in six games and making five starts. He had 731 passing yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions, leading the Panthers to a 2-3 record.
