The Cleveland Browns have activated their star quarterback (QB) Deshaun Watson who finally finished his 11-game ban. Moreover, the team waived QB Joshua Dobbs.

The Browns will travel on Sunday to NRG Stadium to play against the Houston Texans, with whom they traded heavily for Watson during the offseason. In order to land the three-time QB, the Browns gave three first-round picks in 2022, 2023 and 2024 plus one 2023 third rounder, a 2024 fourth rounder and one fifth rounder to the Texans. Moreover, they also signed a five-year, $230 million contract extension with him.

All of Watson's $230 million salary is guaranteed, the highest in NFL history. He was suspended for 11 games and fined $5 million in a settlement between the league and the NFL players union after he was accused of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions in civil lawsuits filed by 25 women during his time with the Texans.

It has been 700 days since the last time he actually played in an NFL game. "He's done a nice job with his time away, physically staying sharp, mentally staying sharp," the Browns' head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Monday. "I think he'll be ready to roll."

During the last "complete" season that Watson played, in 2020, he completed 382 of 544 passes for 4,823 yards and 33 touchdowns (TDs) with seven interceptions. He also finished 90 carries for 44 yards and three TDs. He was the NFL passing yards leader that season, though the Texans missed the playoffs with a poor 4-12 record.

The Browns won only four of their 11 games after defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in overtime on November 28. They are currently third in the American Football Conference (AFC) North.

Last season, the lowest record standards for the postseason were 9-7-1 of the Pittsburg Steelers in the AFC and 9-8 of the Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football Conference. The Browns will meet the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens in two of their following games. Both opponents are in the same division with the Browns, which, therefore, they can't afford to lose.