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Jake Trotter, ESPN Staff Writer
BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns are starting PJ Walker over Deshaun Watson at quarterback Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, coach Kevin Stefanski said.
Stefanski said that Watson will “focus on rehab” this week instead of practicing with the team.
Watson has a rotator cuff strain in his throwing shoulder and missed two games after suffering the injury in Week 3 against the Tennessee Titans. Watson started last Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts but left in the first quarter after taking a hit from Indianapolis defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo.
Stefanski said an MRI revealed Watson didn’t reinjure the shoulder or suffer structural damage, but there was “residual swelling that’s affecting his throwing.” Watson cleared concussion protocol after the hit but was not put back in the game.
“I feel like this is the best decision for this week,” Stefanski said. “He’s trying like crazy. This is not for lack of effort. He’s making every effort he can to be out there. But with the hit he took, with the swelling, it makes the most sense to focus on rehab this week and then he’ll be out there as soon as he’s ready.”
Watson completed only 1 of 5 passes for 5 yards with an interception.
Walker replaced Watson and led the Browns on a winning drive for a second straight week, as Cleveland (4-2) came back to defeat the Colts 39-38. Walker completed 15 of 32 passes for 178 yards and an interception.
Walker, who was signed to the Browns’ active roster Wednesday, had previously been a practice squad call-up. Rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson will back up Walker in Seattle.
Watson has completed 61.7% of his passes this season for 1,935 yards and 11 touchdowns with nine interceptions. After trading for him last offseason, the Browns signed Watson to a new five-year deal worth a record $230 million fully guaranteed.
Stefanski did not indicate when Watson could return to practice.
“This is our quarterback, it’s a shoulder injury, so you’re taking in information every single day,” Stefanski said. “We’ll continue to just make the smart decisions for our football team, for him.”
