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As Deshaun Watson enters the final year of his $230 million contract, the Cleveland Browns are doing some housework.
Last year, co-owner Jimmy Haslam all but admitted that he regretted acquiring Watson and then signing him to his fully guaranteed contract, calling it “a big trade and a failure.”
During that offseason, the Browns restructured his contract twice in a three-month span, and did so again this week.
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Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns leaves the field after a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on November 23, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Chris Unger/Getty Images)
According to Cleveland.com, since Watson originally had a cap hit of more than $80 million, the Browns are converting up to $44.745 million of his $46 million base salary into a restructuring bonus.
The move will free up $36 million in cap space when the official league year begins next week. The move brings Watson’s base salary to the veteran’s minimum of $1.255 million.
The Browns are also expected to make a similar move with cornerback Denzel Ward, whose base salary is just $17 million.
Legal tampering begins Monday and free agents can sign deals at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, center, poses for a portrait with general manager Andrew Berry, left, and coach Kevin Stefanski during Watson’s introductory press conference on March 26, 2022, at the Browns training facility in Berea. (Jeff Lange/USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Watson was traded to the Browns before the 2021 season for three first-round picks, despite an impending suspension for alleged sexual harassment, and quickly signed one of the most lucrative deals in NFL history. But suspension and injuries, including two Achilles tears, have kept Watson off the field for just 19 games in a Browns uniform. He missed all of last season recovering from an Achilles tendon injury.
And when he has been on the field, he has not met any expectations. In those 19 games, he threw for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions with a completion percentage of 61.2.
Cleveland drafted two quarterbacks last year: Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, who took an unprecedented drop as a potential top-three pick and went to the fifth round. Joe Flacco started Week 1, but after being traded, Gabriel took over. But after Gabriel suffered a concussion, Sanders was the starter for the rest of the season.
Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns leaves the field after an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Cleveland, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Browns quarterbacks ranked 31st in completion percentage (57.89%) and passing yards per game (165.1).
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