Browns QB Watson only talks football after NFL suspension NFL

“I respect the whole organization of the Houston Texans,” he said. “I respect the McNair family. I respect everyone that was there that drafted me in 2017. I have so much love for the city of Houston and H Town.”

Watson’s suspension started Aug. 30. He was banned from the team’s facility and returned Oct. 10, when he was allowed to attend meetings and work out. He returned to practice on Nov. 16.

Watson has always maintained he didn’t harass or force himself on any women. Two grand juries in Texas declined to indict him over the allegations.

He took all the first-team reps with Cleveland’s starting offense on Wednesday, moving ahead of Jacoby Brissett, who started the Browns’ first 11 games.

Wide receiver Amari Cooper said Watson’s return gave the team a lift.

“It was cool just to see him out there and out practicing,” Cooper said. “You could see it in his face that he was kind of excited to be out there. It was pretty cool.”

The Browns (4-7) are hoping Watson can help them make the playoffs in what has been a disappointing season to this point. Cleveland’s chances are slim, at best, and he acknowledged maybe being rusty from his layoff.

“It might take time. It might not take time,” he said. “I just want to go out there and do what I want to do, make plays as much as I possibly can. Two years is definitely a long time, but at the same time I’ve been doing this since I was 6 years old. So just like riding a bike, I want to go out there and just find the pedals, get my transition going, and then just let everything kind of come to me.”

NOTES: TE David Njoku (knee) didn’t practice for the second straight day. … RT Jack Conklin and CB Denzel Ward were on stationary bikes during the portion of practice open to reporters.