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Daniel Oyefusi, ESPN
The Cleveland Browns and quarterback Deshaun Watson have agreed to a contract restructure, a source confirmed to ESPN on Friday. The move signals that Watson is likely to return to Cleveland in 2025 despite his on-field struggles and back-to-back season-ending injuries.
Watson has two years remaining on the five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million deal that he signed upon being traded to Cleveland before the 2022 season. The Browns owe Watson $46 million in each of the next two seasons, and he has a cap hit of $72.9 million in 2025 and 2026 — both the second highest in the NFL.
According to NFL Network, which first reported the restructure, the new deal does not change Watson’s 2025 cap hit but lets the Browns spread the cap hit at the end of the contract. Releasing Watson after the season with a pre-June 1 designation would have triggered a league-record dead cap hit of $172 million.
Watson, 29, has been sidelined since late October with a right Achilles tendon tear. In seven games, Watson posted the lowest total QBR of qualifying passers in the NFL.
Watson has played in just 19 games since the Browns traded three first-round picks for him and gave him what — at the time — was a record amount of guaranteed money in a contract. He served an 11-game suspension in 2022 after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions. Watson was limited to just six games in 2023 because of injuries and missed the final eight after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery.
In recent months, the Browns have been noncommittal on Watson’s standing as the starting quarterback when healthy. General manager Andrew Berry said it’s “possible” when asked if Watson could return as the team’s starter. Owner Jimmy Haslam told ESPN earlier this month that he was supportive of Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski but that it was too early to make any decisions regarding the quarterback position.
The Browns also restructured Watson’s contract before the season, creating $44.79 million in cap space that the team is expected to carry over to become cap compliant in the 2025 offseason.
The Browns are 3-12 and host the Miami Dolphins in their home finale on Sunday.