The Cleveland Browns and quarterback Deshaun Watson have agreed to a contract restructure, a supply confirmed to ESPN on Friday. The transfer indicators that Watson is prone to return to Cleveland in 2025 regardless of his on-field struggles and back-to-back season-ending accidents.
Watson has two years remaining on the five-year, absolutely assured $230 million deal that he signed upon being traded to Cleveland earlier than the 2022 season. The Browns owe Watson $46 million in every of the subsequent two seasons, and he has a cap hit of $72.9 million in 2025 and 2026 — each the second highest within the NFL.
The reworked contract provides two void years to the deal, permitting the Browns to push out his useless wage cap into 2030, sources mentioned. Watson’s contract contained two void years (2027-28) earlier than the restructure. Now, it has 4. He’s nonetheless underneath contract for the subsequent two years and set to be a free agent in 2027.
Releasing Watson after the season with a pre-June 1 designation would have triggered a league-record useless cap hit of $172 million.
Watson, 29, has been sidelined since late October with a proper Achilles tendon tear. In seven video games, Watson posted the bottom complete QBR of qualifying passers within the NFL.
Watson has performed in simply 19 video games because the Browns traded three first-round picks for him and gave him what — on the time — was a document quantity of assured cash in a contract. He served an 11-game suspension in 2022 after greater than two dozen girls accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct throughout therapeutic massage periods. Watson was restricted to only six video games in 2023 due to accidents and missed the ultimate eight after present process season-ending shoulder surgical procedure.
In current months, the Browns have been noncommittal on Watson’s standing because the beginning quarterback when wholesome. General supervisor Andrew Berry said it’s “possible” when requested if Watson might return because the workforce’s starter. Owner Jimmy Haslam informed ESPN earlier this month that he was supportive of Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski however that it was too early to make any decisions regarding the quarterback position.
The Browns additionally restructured Watson’s contract earlier than the season, creating $44.79 million in cap house that the workforce is anticipated to hold over to turn into cap compliant within the 2025 offseason.
The Browns are 3-12 and host the Miami Dolphins of their house finale on Sunday.
NFL Network first reported information of Watson’s restructured contract.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler contributed to this report.
