What Deshaun Watson’s contract restructuring, clearing $35.8M in cap space, means for the Browns
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns made a much-anticipated bookkeeping move on Thursday, restructuring Deshaun Watson’s contract again to get under the salary cap by the start of the NFL league year on Wednesday.
In doing so, they reduced his astronomical 2025 cap charge of $73 million by $35.8 million.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – As the new league year is set to open next week (March 12), the Browns are making moves to free up cap space for adding new players. Cleveland restructured quarterback Deshaun Watson’s contract once again, this time clearing almost $36 million. Before the restructure, the Browns were nearly $23 million over the cap.
Watson signed a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed deal, and according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Cleveland has already paid off a significant portion of it. Watson is currently rehabbing from a second Achilles tear.
The Cleveland Browns have agreed to a restructured contract with Deshaun Watson that creates significant salary cap flexibility for the team, and many fans cracked the same joke about the news.
The Browns restructured Watson’s contract on Thursday to free up $35.8 million in salary cap space, according to multiple reports. A large portion of Watson’s salary for 2025 was converted into a signing bonus. The quarterback has two years remaining on the 5-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract he signed in 2022.
Watson still carries massive salary cap and/or dead cap hits for the next three years, so the Browns have essentially kicked the problem further down the road
There were plenty of jokes on social media after news of Watson’s restructure surfaced. As you might expect, many of them had to do with the former Pro Bowl quarterback’s infamous massage scandal.
It is still possible that Watson has played his last snap with the Browns. The quarterback suffered a torn Achilles last season and then had a major setback with the injury, so his status for 2025 is in question.
The Browns need a new starting quarterback, and there is a chance they could draft either Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders with the No. 2 overall pick. They also could sign a veteran like Sam Darnold or Kirk Cousins. Ironically, Watson’s restructure has probably made it easier for Cleveland to find his replacement.
