Browns fans given more reason to be miserable next season with latest Deshaun Watson update
By Kinnu Singh
Before the Cleveland Browns acquired quarterback Deshaun Watson, they were brimming with potential. Equipped with talented players like running back Nick Chubb and defensive end Myles Garrett, Cleveland appeared to be on an upward trajectory.
When the Browns signed Watson to an unprecedented five-year, $230 million contract, they expected him to elevate the team into a Super Bowl contender. Instead, he’s dragged the franchise into years of purgatory with no viable escape in sight.
Watson received the first fully guaranteed deal in NFL history, and Cleveland has suffered from that contract ever since. While there was some hope that Cleveland would cut their losses and move on from Watson during the upcoming offseason, that no longer appears to be a possibility.
Deshaun Watson’s restructure means he’ll be back in 2025
The Browns agreed to terms on a restructured contract for Watson that will ease the team’s future salary cap burden, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Friday. The reworked deal suggests that the team still expects the quarterback to be a part of their plans for the 2025 season.
Although the new deal doesn’t affect Watson’s 2025 salary, it makes the team’s salary cap easier to manage when the contract expires after the 2026 season. After the deal expires, the restructure will the Browns to spread Watson’s dead cap hit over two years instead of absorbing all of it in 2027, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Cleveland would love to move on from Watson during the upcoming offseason, but they still owe him $92 million over the next two seasons. Releasing Watson would result in a dead cap hit of $172.7 million over the next two seasons, per Spotrac.
The #Browns still owe Deshaun Watson $92 million fully guaranteed over the 2025 and '26 seasons. This isn't a pay cut or a salary conversion. It just allows Cleveland to spread the dead cap hit over two years instead of taking it all in 2027, if indeed Watson stays through 2026. https://t.co/lA96PXBGNy
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 27, 2024
Watson has led the Browns to just nine wins in 19 starts through his three seasons in Cleveland. The former star looked like the worst quarterback in the league this season before he suffered a season-ending Achilles injury.
The Browns are expected to bring in another quarterback for competition even though Watson will be back, according to Rapoport. Cleveland’s backup quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Dorian Thompson-Robinson have left a lot to be desired. After losing six of their eight games since Watson’s injury, it’s become evident that the Browns will have to find a new starting quarterback before the 2025 season kicks off.
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