The Cleveland Browns‘ desperation for a franchise quarterback resulted in the team trading three first-round picks for Deshaun Watson in 2022, with the deal only happening because the team agreed to make him one of the highest-paid NFL players ever. The ramifications of that deal will last well past this season.
Watson is effectively finished in Cleveland. The 29-year-old quarterback suffered a torn Achilles in Week 7 of last season and then he re-ruptured the Achilles during his recovery. Poised to miss the entire 2025 NFL season, the franchise has made it clear that it’s ready to move on from the veteran quarterback.
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- Deshaun Watson contract (Spotrac): $35.971 million cap hit in 025, $80.716 million cap hit in 2026, $2.5723 million in dead money for 2027
In 2025, that means finding his replacement. The Browns are in the mix for a Kirk Cousins trade, eyeing the veteran quarterback for both stability and his familiarity with head coach Kevin Stefanski. Cleveland has also been tied heavily to top quarterback prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft. Moving on from Watson will happen next offseason and the process will be costly.
Yahoo Sports senior NFL reporter Charles Robinson shared on this week’s Inside Coverage podcast how the Browns will likely go about moving on from Watson in 2026.
“The thing is, you’re rotating into what, likely a rookie quarterback contract…I can’t see them coming out of this draft without a rookie quarterback contract. So you’re rotating into a cheap contract, at the very least in 2025. Any money I think that they’ll save, I think they’re going to roll over, as much money as they can, into next offseason. Then, I think what they’re going to have to do is restructure a number of deals. It’s going to be painful, there’s no doubt , Even with the hit, I don’t see how you carry him through 2026. I think what they’re going to coutn on is another cap jump next offseason…then just have to restructure literally as many players as possible to clear as much room as possible and get the cut done.”
Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson on how the Cleveland Browns move on from Deshaun Watson in 2026
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- Deshaun Watson stats (ESPN): 9-10 record, 61.2% completion rate, 3,365 passing yards, 19-12 TD-INT, 6.0 yards per attempt, 80.7 QB rating, 177.1 pass ypgn as Cleveland Browns starting QB in 19 games
According to OverTheCap.com, designating Watson as a post-June 1 release in 2026 will incur an $80.716 million dead cap hit and Cleveland won’t create any cap space by doing so. It would also leave a $50.446 million dead cap in 2027.
All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett will be an obvious candidate for a contract restructure. Cleveland might also pursue restructured deals with cornerback Denzel Ward, wide receiver Jerry Jeudy and tight end David Njoku.
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There’s another looming problem for Cleveland, assuming Watson is designated as a post-June 1 cut. A majority of the Browns offensive line – Wyatt Teller, Joel Bitonio, Ethan Pocic and Teven Jenkins – are free agents in 2026. Cleveland will have to overhaul its front five at a time when salaries for guards and tackles have skyrocketed. It’s a predicament created by the front office, one that might take years to climb out of.