It’s been a difficult stint with the Cleveland Browns for quarterback Deshaun Watson, but it seems like it might be finally coming to an end.
Ahead of the 2022 season, the Cleveland Browns signed Deshaun Watson to the largest fully guaranteed contract in NFL history despite his recovery from a serious injury and ongoing legal challenges. It’s safe to say that things have not gone the way that either party had hoped.
Watson immediately missed most of the 2022 season as a result of an 11-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, allowing him to play in just six games with the Browns that season. The following season, Watson once again played just six games with the team as a result of injuries, including a shoulder injury that ultimately sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
In 2024, Watson played in just seven games before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury. Watson was expected to make a full recovery and return to the Browns in 2025, but he has since suffered a significant setback that could realistically end his time with the team.
On Friday, the team announced that Watson had undergone another surgery on Thursday after re-rupturing his Achilles, putting his 2025 season in jeopardy.
“Yesterday, Deshaun Watson underwent a second surgery to repair his right Achilles tendon rupture,” the team announced on Friday. “Watson initially tore the tendon during the Browns’ Week 7 game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 20. His first surgery was performed on Oct. 25. Earlier this week, when Watson reported to CrossCountry Mortgage Campus for his exit physical as part of the Browns’ season-ending process, he complained of discomfort after rolling his ankle in Miami. MRI results demonstrated a re-rupture to his Achilles tendon. Dr. Bob Anderson, a foot and ankle specialist in Charlotte, NC, performed both surgeries. Watson’s recovery time and return to play status is uncertain, and he will likely miss significant time during the 2025 season.”
This injury, however, doesn’t just put his 2025 season in jeopardy, it puts his career with the Browns in jeopardy.
As Cory Kinnan of BrownsWire points out, the Browns have $44.3 million of Watson’s $46 million 2025 base salary covered by insurance in case he missed the season with injury. This, coupled with the structure of his contract, makes it likely that he never takes another snap for the Browns.
“Yes, this means that the Browns will see $44.3 million put back into their cap space. However, this policy would not be cashed out until after the 2025 season, so the Browns would see that total recouped in their 2026 cap space,” Kinnon wrote for BrownsWire.
“After his latest contract restructure, the Browns are on a timeline to cut Watson with a post-June 1 designation after the 2026 season, so expect that money to be rolled over when they do collect it to completely wash out the dead cap burden of $35 million in 2027 and still have some cash left over to spend from the insurance payment.”
With Watson sidelined for the foreseeable future, the Browns are likely to make some drastic changes to the team’s quarterback room this offseason.
The lone quarterback currently signed for the 2025 season is Dorian Thompson-Robinson, a fifth-round selection from the 2023 draft who struggled in his two starts this season. Jameis Winston, who stepped in for seven games following Watson’s injury before he was benched, is set to hit the market as an unrestricted free agent while Bailey Zappe, who started the final game of the season, will be a restricted free agent.
Given this situation, it’s likely that the team will look to select a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft – likely Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward – and possibly bring in a veteran quarterback in free agency, as well.
Regardless, it sure seems like Watson is done in Cleveland.
