Quarterback Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns have reached a contract settlement that may reduce Watson’s cap cost in future years whereas conserving his absolutely assured $92 million intact, sources inform CBS Sports activities.
The adjustment, which is technically an extension by including a brand new yr to the prevailing contract however no new cash, is meant to assist the Browns discipline a aggressive roster for 2025 and past. Watson has $46 million because of him over the following two years to finish the $230 million contract signed in 2022.
As a few of the Browns prime gamers like Myles Garrett and Joel Bitonio have publicly questioned the speedy way forward for the workforce, this deal alerts Cleveland has no intention on urgent the reset button.
The deal additionally gives the Browns with a neater, much less financially painful path out of Watson’s contract following the 2025 season ought to the workforce want to half methods with the quarterback, whose standing for the start of subsequent season is unclear as he recovers from Achilles surgical procedure.
The Browns acquisition of Watson has been thought of by some within the league to be among the many worst in league historical past. In March 2022, the Browns traded three first-round picks to the Texans to accumulate Watson, who then signed a $230 million absolutely assured deal over 5 years.
On the time, Watson had greater than 20 civil lawsuits towards him alleging sexual misconduct. Two Houston grand juries declined to indict Watson, and he was by no means charged with against the law. He settled a majority of the lawsuits at an undisclosed sum.
It was the richest contract in NFL historical past — when it comes to absolutely assured cash — till this fall when Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott signed a deal that included $231 million in absolutely assured cash.
The NFL suspended Watson for 11 video games to start the 2022 season and fined him $5 million. He appeared rusty in his six video games that yr, throwing seven touchdowns and 5 interceptions.
He went 5-1 as a starter in 2023 coping with a number of accidents earlier than finally being shut down for the rest of the season for surgical procedure on his throwing shoulder. The Browns would begin 5 completely different quarterbacks that season and went to the playoffs for simply the second time in twenty years.
Watson carried out like one of many worst beginning quarterbacks this season earlier than tearing his Achilles in Week 7’s loss to Cincinnati. His 79.0 passer score ranks thirty second amongst certified quarterbacks forward of solely Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson, each of whom are second-year quarterbacks who received benched throughout this season. The Browns have gone 3-12 this season with Watson, Jameis Winston and Dorian Thompson-Robinson as their beginning quarterbacks.
Although Watson’s contract is absolutely assured, the Browns have used some salary-cap mechanisms to ease the burden on the cap (and the participant.) The 11-game suspension in 2022 value Watson 11 recreation checks, however his contract was structured in order that these recreation checks got here from his wage of $1.035 million whereas he was paid a virtually $45 million signing bonus.
Earlier than the beginning of the 2023 and 2024 season, the Browns transformed practically $44 million of his wage every year right into a signing bonus. That lessened the cap hit whereas including two void years to the tip of his deal.
CBS Sports previously reported Watson, head coach Kevin Stefanski and normal supervisor Andrew Berry would all return for 2025. Although the Browns may have extricated themselves from Watson’s contract this offseason, it will have come at a historic hit of $119 million in lifeless cash that will have crippled the workforce’s roster in 2025. That led to an open query about Cleveland’s plans for the longer term.
Final week, reigning Defensive Participant of the Yr Myles Garrett laid down a public gauntlet on the workforce, stating he sought to win in 2025 and never be a part of a possible rebuild.
“I imply, it is a risk [to play elsewhere], however I wish to be a Cleveland Brown,” Garrett stated. “I wish to play right here, play my profession right here. But when we select to do a rebuild and it is two, three, 4 years out, I would like to have the ability to compete and play at a excessive stage, play significant video games and be enjoying previous January.”
Left guard Joel Bitonio, an 11-year veteran and most tenured member of the Browns, stated this week he additionally desires to know Cleveland’s plan for 2025 earlier than selecting whether or not to return for the ultimate yr of his contract or retire.
“The aim now, you are in yr 11, yr 12, you wish to attempt to win video games,” Bitonio said, according to Cleveland.com. “It is onerous to go on the market and have three wins proper now. That is been robust. It is robust in your physique. You simply do not feel pretty much as good on Monday whenever you lose a recreation. So it is a part of the method and also you’d love to listen to what the plan goes ahead and type of see the place we’re at, see how a lot successful you are able to do.”
Watson’s contract adjustment clears up some questions on Cleveland’s speedy future, however it does not reply who will begin for the Browns at quarterback subsequent season.
Watson underwent surgical procedure on his ruptured Achilles on Oct. 25. Sources have stated it is unlikely Watson would be capable to cross a bodily till the summer season. Winston is ready to be a free agent, and Thompson-Robinson has struggled in his spot begins these two seasons.
The free-agent quarterback market is anticipated to be weaker than normal, particularly if Pittsburgh retains Russell Wilson and Sam Darnold stays in Minnesota. The Browns are more likely to have a top-10 choose in April’s draft, and they’re at present slotted fifth with two video games left to play.
Solely Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are thought of Week 1 beginning quarterback choices on this yr’s draft class, and the assumption across the league is that they’ll be taken throughout the first three to 5 picks.
