Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski announces that PJ Walker will start vs Seattle and that Deshaun Watson has increased swelling in injured shoulder.
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00:00 With Deshaun, PJ is gonna start this week.
00:03 Deshaun is gonna focus on his rehab.
00:06 I just feel like with what happened in the game, landing on a shoulder,
00:10 there's residual swelling that's affecting his throwing.
00:15 I think it's the best thing for him to rest this week and focus on the rehab.
00:20 And as I've told you guys, I will always make what I think are the best decisions
00:25 for our football team, for Deshaun.
00:28 And I feel like this is the best decision for this week.
00:31 But with that, I'll take any questions.
00:33 >> Kevin, it's now been described as a four to six week injury.
00:38 Should you guys have put him on IR at the start?
00:41 >> Yeah, I would just tell you, Tony, as you know,
00:44 we make decisions based on the information that you have every day.
00:47 You guys have heard me say day to day, and I just think that's based on the player,
00:53 how he's feeling, the information with the injury, all those things.
00:56 But you're just trying to make the best decision you can.
00:59 >> [INAUDIBLE] back then, did he have more damage?
01:02 >> Yeah. >> Or was there-
01:03 >> No, there's no structural damage,
01:07 Tom, based on the MRI.
01:10 There is, like I mentioned, residual swelling.
01:12 But that's why it's just important for him to focus on rehab this week.
01:16 >> Reset on this thing, or
01:20 is, are we still in that four to six time frame with this being week five?
01:24 >> Yeah, I'm really just focused on this week.
01:28 He's trying like crazy.
01:30 This is not for lack of effort.
01:32 He's making everything, every effort he can to be out there.
01:36 But with the hit he took, I just felt like, and
01:40 with the swelling, it makes the most sense to focus on rehab this week.
01:45 And then he'll be out there as soon as he's ready.
01:48 >> During this diagnosis from the very beginning, because up until now,
01:54 he's been day to day for quite a long time.
01:58 >> Yeah, I would just tell you, I mean, every injury, you take in information
02:02 every single day, so in that way, your day to day, I mean,
02:07 he's gonna focus on rehab this week.
02:09 But throughout his rehab, you're gonna continually find out every single day how
02:13 he's feeling, how he's progressing through it.
02:15 >> I remember the hit, did he look like himself to you mechanically?
02:18 It didn't, I mean, what do we know, but it didn't look like the same to Sean.
02:22 >> Yeah, he was progressing in the right direction,
02:24 was able to practice last week.
02:27 But just I felt like with that hit, I just didn't like that right on the shoulder.
02:32 And then coming out of it with swelling, I just did not feel like that would
02:39 put him in his best spot to practice this week, so.
02:42 >> He would have finished the game if he'd still be.
02:44 >> Yeah.
02:44 >> The conversation just to the rest this week?
02:50 >> I've talked to Sean every day.
02:53 Like I mentioned to you guys, it's he wants to play very badly.
02:56 He also knows that rehab is the decision this week, but
03:01 he's gonna do everything he can to support his teammates.
03:03 He's a captain of the team, he provides great leadership, so
03:07 he wants very badly to play.
03:10 But just this week, it makes sense to focus on the rehab.
03:13 >> What is it to have PJ know that he's the starter from Wednesday when you get out
03:17 there for the first moment of practice and making sure that he's getting his timing
03:22 and everything done?
03:23 >> Yeah, kind of like we've talked about this before, Mary Kay.
03:26 Sometimes as a backup, you get that amount of lead time, sometimes you don't.
03:30 And that's just life in the big city when it comes to backup quarterbacks.
03:34 So he'll prepare like he always does.
03:37 Dorian will prepare like he always does.
03:39 But PJ will start this week.
03:41 >> When you say there's residual swelling, that's affecting the mobility and
03:46 his ability to make normal throws.
03:48 Is that the biggest issue with what's going on?
03:53 >> I don't have my doctor's hat on, yes.
03:55 But yes, I mean, that's affecting how he's throwing the ball with that swelling.
03:58 >> Deshaun won't practice this week, but could practice next week?
04:04 >> Yeah, I'm focused on this week.
04:05 So today he won't practice.
04:08 >> Practice?
04:08 >> He will continue his rehab throwing this week.
04:12 >> When Andrew talked to us at the bye week, he said,
04:14 it seemed like everything was optimistic, that no one thought that this was gonna be
04:18 a long term thing.
04:19 I guess, when has that changed and
04:22 when has it become I guess a longer term thing than everyone initially anticipated?
04:26 >> Yeah, I just think these are injuries.
04:28 This is our quarterback, it's a shoulder injury.
04:31 So you're taking in information every single day.
04:35 Again, I can't tell you how much time Deshaun has spent trying to get back.
04:40 But we'll continue to just make the smart decisions for our football team for him.
04:47 But that's injuries, you just have to go with the information that you have.
04:51 >> Has this injury ever even been discussed?
04:54 Is that any kind of an option or anything?
04:56 There's nothing in there that needs to be repaired?
04:57 >> Correct.
04:58 [BLANK_AUDIO]