The Cleveland Browns’ $230 million fully guaranteed deal with Deshaun Watson was already a PR nightmare for owner Jimmy Haslam. Now, Watson’s underwhelming play since returning from his 11-game suspension for credible allegations of sexual misconduct only worsens the situation, turning the contract into one of the NFL’s most questionable moves.
Watson’s dubious performance, completing 169-yard passing performance with one touchdown to two interceptions in a listless 33-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys have only magnified calls for the Browns to do what it takes to move on from the 28-year-old quarterback who seems to have declined well beyond the point that his off the field baggage would be palatable in Cleveland.
Given the nature of Watson’s contract, it would cost the Browns $172 million in dead money to release the quarterback prior to June 1 next spring.
Watson’s colossal cap number, on the surface, would make it fairly prohibitive for the Browns to move on from Watson, even if they wanted to.
However, Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap points out that while the Browns altered much of the standard void language from Watson’s contract because of the legal issues he was mired in off the field, the language may not apply to any off the field concerns that may arrise this season.
“The language, per source with a knowledge of specific details of the contracts, seemed to pertain only to league suspensions that came down in 2022 or 2023 which would make a 2024 suspension unique,” Fitzgerald writes for OverTheCap. “Even if suspended due to a potential case the Browns were already made aware of. The contract, however, should not allow the Browns to act on their own to void the guarantees if they were aware that this specific accusation was a possibility and it would require a league suspension to allow them to void the contract.”
Given that Watson is facing a new set of allegations in a recently filed sexual assault lawsuit, it is entirely possible that he could face a suspension — at some point, from the NFL, which could make it significantly easier for the Browns to move on.
“At the moment,” Fitzgerald points out. “Watson’s salaries are fully guaranteed in 2025 and 2026. Both of those salaries are worth $46 million. Watson’s 2024 salary was almost all converted to a signing bonus ($44.79M of the $46M salary) before the season began and prorated over the course of the contract. This salary could be subject to forfeiture depending on when a suspension came down from the league.”
