The Browns and veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson have agreed to new terms on his fully guaranteed $230MM contract, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The new terms do not affect the amount of money Watson will receive over the final two years of the deal but will impact Cleveland’s cap commitment over the next several seasons. 
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Watson’s income will not be affected. In signing the reworked deal, Watson is not taking a pay cut from the remaining funds due to him. Over the next two seasons, Watson is set to earn $46MM per year. What the new contract does do is move some of the cap hit from the deal into new voidable years. The deal before today already had two void years tacked on after the contract ends in 2027, and with today’s updates, the deal will now have a total of four void years.
Seemingly, what this move indicates, is that Cleveland has not yet given up on Watson as their franchise quarterback. Despite how disastrous the contract has worked out towards this purpose to date, the Browns seem to be saying that Watson should return next year as the team’s starting quarterback. His contract has him set for free agency following the 2026 season, meaning he could be the Browns’ passer for both years.
Four years ago, this wouldn’t have sounded like a bad deal. After an impressive rookie season, in which Watson threw for 19 touchdowns in only six starts, was cut short due to injury, the young quarterback out of Clemson delivered three straight Pro Bowl seasons for the Texans, leading the league in passing yards in his final year with the team.
His fifth-year option was exercised, but Watson became disgruntled with the front office and coaching staff, leading to a trade request. During the contract and trade negotiations, a number of sexual harassment allegations emerged, draping Watson in controversy. Between the contract issues and allegations, Watson would sit out the entire 2021 season. Despite missing a year and being plagued with potential for suspension, the Browns sent a massive draft package in exchange for Watson and signed him to the largest, most-guaranteed contract in NFL history.
The allegations resulted in an 11-game suspension to begin his Browns’ tenure. In the two seasons since, Watson has missed a total of 21 games with injury. His short healthy spurt in 2023 saw him go 5-1 in six starts, while a seven-game stretch this season saw him go 1-6. So far, Cleveland’s massive investment has resulted in 19 starts and a 9-10 record. Luckily, as most teams are wont to do, the Browns insured Watson’s contract so that they receive some cap relief for his missed time.
Along with spreading out some of the cap impact, the Browns’ new deal with Watson should make the impact of cutting him a bit easier, should they choose to do so. On his previous deal, Watson would’ve represented $119MM in dead money if cut as a post-June 1 release before the 2025 season. Similarly, the number would reduce only to $73MM before 2026. Theoretically, those numbers should reduce under the new terms.
Ensuring that Watson comes back next year doesn’t mean the team won’t address the position in the offseason, though. The team is reportedly doing their research on secondary options to compete with Watson and fill in in case of further injury issues. There’s certainly a chance that the secondary quarterback could be Jameis Winston or Dorian Thompson-Robinson, though Winston is set to hit free agency, but a quarterback in the draft is certainly an option, as well. For now, though, the adjusted contract sets the table for Watson to return as the 2025 starter.
‘…Watson is set to earn $46MM per year…’
In today’s market, that’s cheap. Considering half there QB1s make $50m+ these days.
It’s pretty steep for a guy that could t produce and won’t produce.
Better deal/price than Cousins or Trevor done for their teams. Throw in Dak as well. Plenty of way overpaid QBs that dwarf Watson these days.
The difference is neither of them has the baggage that Watson brings nor the attitude. Similar on the injury front
I’d argue that you can win with cousins (maybe not prime time games) and Trevor still has a lot of upside, Watson is trash literally.
It’s not cheap for Watson he can’t move the ball…
Hope your kidding Arty. 46 million for a guy who averages 6 games a season. 2024 QBR was 24. He is not looking like being player ever was at Houston and not worth his stats or PR damage.
Trevor is well below .500 and pockets $50m a year. Cousins was benched before the end of his first year.
For me, it was how quickly the QB1 market has changed in 3 years. Everyone was blown away by Watson’s deal and now ranks 11th in QB salary.
I don’t like the guy and agree when he’s available to play, Watson isn’t good.
Biggest POS ever
Karma
Maybe as a QB, but as far as an NFL player…
Darren Sharper, Randall Woodfield, Anthony Smith, Aaron Hernandez, and Rae Carruth are ahead of Deshaun Watson as far as “Biggest POS ever” in my estimation.
Henry Ruggs as well
Why not Rae Lewis or the Blades Brothers? We all know Lewis did it but money got him out of it. Blades Brothers went into a room with their Cousin. 3 in the room shotgun goes off they walk out awhile later and claim they have no idea what happened. Cops never tested for gunshot residue just talked to them.
Lewis didn’t “do it” nobody ever said he did it, he was with the guys that did it. But he then lied to get them off and eventually had to pay out in the civil suit. POS yes, but keep it factual.
The question I have is once his contract is over with the Browns will he ever play football again?
Would another team take a flier on him ?
I can’t see it. If he was still talented and youngish. He’s neither and a bad look for a franchise.
He’ll be like 31 if he goes the full two remaining years on his contract. It’s “young” enough that I wouldn’t be surprised if some team tried to bring him in on a low salary, prove-it type of deal because they’re desperate for a QB. There have been worse QBs who have stuck around for longer…Watson just has all the extra baggage which might be enough to force him out of the league.
The baggage is why he won’t. You can have that baggage if you are still a star. If you are average or worse with stuff that will keep fans from supporting you will not be signed
Maybe Bob Kraft would
Huh??
How does this hamper the Browns with their budgets not only through 25-26, but up until 2030?
Based on the Browns FO decisions and record since reappearing as an expansion franchise, they have enough problems building a decent roster now they have built-in salary limitations for the next 5-6 seasons.
If this isn’t the worst contract in NFL history, name others that were.
All-Pro left guard Joel Bitonio wants to retire and Myles Garrett has taken the first step to demanding a trade.
No impact FA’s are going to sign a long-term contract with the team if they have other options.
They should have taken the hit on Watson’s contract and get clean to compete in 2026-27. That teams isn’t going anywhere in 2025.
It’s the Cleveland Browns. They won’t be going anywhere in 2026 or 2027, either
A quick correction. The article states, “Over the next two seasons, Watson is set to earn $46MM per year.” I believe it should read “Over the next two seasons, Watson will be paid $46MM per year.”
Took me a sec to get it but spot on.
Think people don’t realize the cap implications if the Browns cut Watson. Yes this is probably the worst contract in NFL history and Watson is terrible, no one in their right mind would say otherwise. Simple fact is that they really can’t cut him this offseason because his cap hit would be like 40% of the overall cap hit so in order to “live” with his contract for at least one more season they needed to add void years to bring down his already bloated cap hit for the next two years (I think I recall it being over $60mm?).
Sure you could cut him, accept your losses, and get him off the books quicker but the Browns would be completely hamstringing themselves from building a roster let alone a semi-competitive one…they’d have to cut and trade even more players just to get cap compliant and would probably be forced to run a roster of cheap journeymen and unproven young players/rookies.
If the Browns were a well-run organization, and they’re not lol, they’d find some legit competition for Watson and force a QB battle. DTR doesn’t look to be more than a QB3 at this point so don’t make him the in-house competition. You don’t have to swing for the fences and chase a Darnold or Kirk Cousins. Re-sign Jameis or take a flyer on some other waylaid QB (Daniel Jones?) and actually go into camp with an open QB competition. Either you’ll get a version of Watson who looks better because he knows he isn’t blindly guaranteed the starting job or the competition will force Watson into a very expensive backup role.
Browns fans crucified Art Modell but he would never have approved a contract this ruiness. How is it Jimmy Haslam manages to avoid the rath of fans in Cleveland?
Cleveland fans have become immune to the pain after all these years
Oh, there are many Browns fans who despise him, myself included. I didn’t want him to buy the team, because of his having an ownership stake in the Shittsburgh Squealers.
I would rather suffer more years of mediocrity without him, or his merry band of idjits, DePodesta, Berry, and Stefanski. Burn it all down.
Ah, it’s wonderful that after all these years, the Steelers still own the Browns and their pathetic fans. As for Watson, he couldn’t happen to a nicer team
His annual salary is a ton, but still less than what that scumbag Art Modell took from Baltimore to move the franchise.
The Browns are so tired of being the AFC Norths little brother that they make crazy moves like this.
They should have kept Baker.
They can’t get out of paying him, but they 100% do not have to put him on the field. Someone should just tell him to spend some of his salary on a cushion because he needs to get comfy on the bench in his new forever role as QB3.