With Deshaun Watson’s fully guaranteed contract, perhaps the NFL’s largest albatross of a contract, the Cleveland Browns are in an enviable situation.
By adding two additional vacant years to the quarterback’s contract, the Browns were able to extend his dead salary cap penalty until 2030.
One analyst shared what the recent reorganisation indicates about the Browns’ future ambitions. Watson still has a $72.9 million cap charge in each of the next two years.
Two years ahead of schedule, Spotrac posted on X, “We’ve officially reached the point of the Deshaun Watson contract where the Browns are admitting defeat, admitting that it’s immovable, and protecting their salary cap future as much as possible.”
Officially, we’ve reached the Deshaun Watson point.contract in which the Browns acknowledge their loss, acknowledge that it is unchangeable, and take every precaution to preserve their salary cap future—two years in advance.
There were already two vacant years on Watson’s initial contract, but now there are four, giving the Browns greater protection in the event that they decide to remove him.
In order to free up cap space, his contract was also renegotiated prior to the season.
Unless something else happens in the offseason, Watson will probably start next season even though he hasn’t passed for 300 yards in a game for the Browns and is sidelined for the second consecutive season due to a season-ending injury.
The top two quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft are out of reach for Cleveland, as Shedeur Sandersand Cam Ward are probably going to be gone before the Browns select, and given the amount of money already committed to Watson, it would be difficult to make a significant splash in free agency.
With any luck, things will get better for Browns supporters shortly.