Browns Re-Structure Contract, Set to Bring Back Deshaun Watson in 2025
The Cleveland Browns have restructured Deshaun Watson’s contract, signaling that he will remain with the team for at least two more seasons. The move, which was reported by NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, was designed to provide the team with cap flexibility while Watson recovers from a torn Achilles and continues to navigate a career that’s been marked by off-the-field issues, underperformance and injuries.
Watson, who has missed 21 games over the past two seasons and struggled to live up to the expectations set by his five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed deal, still has $92 million fully guaranteed over the next two years. While his on-field performance has been disappointing — with Watson completing 63.4% of his passes for 1,148 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions in seven games this season — the Browns have decided to keep him on the roster for 2025 and 2026, and the restructure allows them to better manage his massive cap hits.
Currently, Watson’s cap hits for 2025 and 2026 are set at a staggering $72.9 million each, which would severely restrict the Browns’ financial flexibility. To ease the burden, the team likely converted some of Watson’s salary into a signing bonus, pushing the cap hit into future years. The restructure also likely pushed the void date of his contract further out, adding dummy salaries for 2027 and 2028. This move gives Cleveland the option to designate Watson for release after June 1, 2027, which would spread out the resulting dead cap — estimated to be around $89.5 million — over multiple years.
While the restructure doesn’t change Watson’s $73 million cap number for 2025, it provides the Browns with more flexibility in managing the final years of his contract, which expires in 2026. The Browns are locked into Watson for the next two seasons, but whether he can bounce back from his injuries and underwhelming play remains to be seen. This restructure, however, buys the team more time to evaluate their future with Watson while allowing them to free up cap space in the longer term.
Read This Next
