Deshaun Watson Likely Out for 2025, but Browns Financially Tied Through 2026
NFL news usually waits for Sunday morning kickoffs, but this weekend, the Browns’ quarterback situation jumped the gun. According to a Saturday night report, Cleveland is not expected to put Deshaun Watson back on the field this season as he continues to rehab from a twice-torn Achilles. And while his cleats may stay clean in 2025, the Browns aren’t cutting ties just yet - not because they want to keep him, but because financially, they can’t afford not to.
Let’s break it down.
The Cap Hit That Changed Everything
Watson’s contract is one of the most complex - and consequential - in NFL history. The Browns gave up six draft picks, including three first-rounders, and handed him a fully guaranteed $230 million deal in 2022. Since then, Watson has started just 19 games, missed 11 due to suspension, and battled a string of injuries, including a season-ending shoulder issue in 2023 and the Achilles tear that ended his 2024 campaign.
Now, as 2025 winds down, the Browns are staring at a financial wall. Releasing Watson before June 1 of next year would trigger a dead cap hit of over $131 million - a number so massive it would make the Broncos’ $85 million hit for parting ways with Russell Wilson look like a bargain by comparison.
That’s not just a tough pill to swallow - it’s a financial anchor. So, as much as fans might want to see the Browns move on, the franchise is essentially locked in, at least through 2026.
What Comes Next?
There is a potential out, but it’s not exactly clean. Cleveland could designate Watson as a post-June 1 cut in 2026.
That would allow them to spread the cap hit across multiple years, softening the immediate blow. But even then, they’d still be on the hook for a $53 million hit in 2026 alone, with additional money carrying over into 2027 and beyond.
That’s the reality of fully guaranteed contracts in the NFL - especially when they’re restructured multiple times and tied to a player who hasn’t been able to stay on the field.
So, what’s the plan? According to the report, the Browns are expected to keep Watson on the roster in 2026 as a potential veteran bridge option. Translation: he’s not the long-term answer, but he might be a placeholder while the team figures out what’s next at quarterback.
The Fallout in Cleveland
The Watson situation has had ripple effects across the entire organization. The Browns’ roster, once promising, is now thin on young, premium talent. And with Watson, Denzel Ward, and Myles Garrett combining for nearly half the team’s salary cap, there’s not much room to maneuver.
It’s easy to look at general manager Andrew Berry, but this decision wasn’t made in a vacuum. A trade of this magnitude - six picks, $230 million guaranteed, and a player facing serious off-field allegations - doesn’t happen without ownership signing off. That points directly to Jimmy Haslam, who marked his 10th year as owner in 2022, the same year the Watson trade went down.
Since then, the Browns have been stuck in a holding pattern. Injuries, inconsistency, and off-field baggage have kept Watson from becoming the franchise cornerstone they hoped for. Instead, he’s become a symbol of a gamble gone wrong - one that’s still costing the team both on the field and on the books.
Where the Browns Go From Here
Cleveland’s options are limited. The contract is too big to move.
The cap hit is too large to absorb. And the quarterback room doesn’t have a clear successor waiting in the wings.
That’s why Watson, even if he doesn’t play another snap in 2025, is still likely to be on the roster in 2026.
It’s not about belief in a comeback - it’s about the math.
For Browns fans, it’s another chapter in what’s become a frustrating saga. There’s no quick fix, no magic trade, no rookie savior waiting in the draft. Just a team trying to navigate the long-term effects of a historic financial commitment that hasn’t come close to paying off.
And while Saturday night’s report didn’t offer many surprises for those in Cleveland, it did reinforce what’s already painfully clear: the Browns are still paying the price for a decision that reshaped the franchise - and not in the way anyone hoped.