Browns might see vital cap reduction for that reason

Current feedback made by Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam — the primary time anybody inside the group publicly admitted the historic and controversial Watson acquisition is a failure — additional reinforce that chance, as ESPN.com’s Daniel Oyefusi writes. After all, due to Watson’s contract — which was not too long ago restructured for rapid wage cap reduction — even a 2026 launch with a post-June 1 designation would create a useless cash cost of practically $81M with none cap financial savings.

As such, Oyefusi says Watson might keep on the Browns’ roster for the rest of his thru-2026 deal, although any selections in that regard is not going to be made for at the very least one other yr. Haslam mentioned the workforce wants to find out Watson’s well being standing earlier than making a name, and within the meantime, the 29-year-old passer is rehabbing his Achilles tear.

Whereas the present monetary image associated to Watson’s contract appears bleak, there’s a actual chance that the scenario will enhance. We had beforehand touched on the insurance coverage the membership had taken out on Watson’s contract, and as Oyefusi reiterates, the insurance coverage coverage allowed Cleveland to acquire cap reduction for 2024 after Watson missed 11 video games as a result of damage in 2023. Likewise, the workforce has realized a small credit score for the time Watson missed in 2024.

Mike Florio of Professional Soccer Discuss provides additional context. In response to Florio, Watson’s deal comprises an addendum that enables the workforce to recuperate over $58M for an damage occurring between the beginning of the 2024 offseason program and the beginning of the 2025 offseason program (Watson sustained his season-ending Achilles tear in October 2024 and suffered a second tear in January 2025, and each occurrences fall inside the addendum’s timeline). A lot of the potential restoration (over $44M) stems from Watson’s fully-guaranteed wage of $46M for 2025. 

In different phrases, if Watson is unable to play in 2025, and if the Browns’ potential declare in opposition to the insurance coverage coverage is profitable, Cleveland might get again over $44M in money with a corresponding credit score to its cap sheet. Given the stakes concerned, although, the insurance coverage provider could nicely try to seek out an exclusion or exception that may justify denial of the declare.

Assuming Watson doesn’t engineer a dramatic turnaround to turn into a top quality beginning quarterback for the Browns, he’ll turn into a free agent in some unspecified time in the future within the comparatively close to future. When that occurs, he could not discover one other NFL alternative.

Per Oysefusi, executives and brokers from across the league have mentioned it’s attainable that no workforce will deliver Watson on board, even when he’s fully wholesome. 

“If launched, I don’t see anybody selecting him up,” one NFC govt mentioned. “After which, down the highway, the query will likely be, will he take low-QB cash? Would he even be motivated to play at that time?”

A outstanding agent supplied a special take, saying, “[t]he league is forgiving with quarterbacks which have exhibited high-level expertise. There’s a scarcity of excellent QB play. That’s why I feel a workforce might take an opportunity on him if he proves wholesome. Some house owners might have an issue with that due to the previous, however not all.”

The agent makes a good level, nevertheless it has been just a few years since Watson has exhibited high-level expertise. So whereas the Browns’ seek for their subsequent long-term quarterback and a approach out of their now-infamous contractual misstep are the extra urgent storylines, it’s truthful to surprise if Watson has already taken his final snap.