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Daniel Oyefusi, ESPN
BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns have restructured quarterback Deshaun Watson’s contract, a league source told ESPN’s Field Yates, in a move that creates $35.832 million in salary cap space.
Cleveland converted $44.79 million of Watson’s $46 million base salary in 2024 into a signing bonus, the source told Yates. The move gives the Browns more than $62 million in salary cap space, the most in the NFL.
The Browns are expected to roll over most of their salary cap to have financial flexibility in the 2025 offseason, when they are already projected to be $44 million over the salary cap, according to ESPN’s roster management system. Wide receivers Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore, running back Nick Chubb and left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. are among Cleveland’s free agents next offseason.
In recent years, Cleveland has been aggressive in restructuring high-priced player contracts to maintain short-term flexibility.
This is the second time the Browns have adjusted the contract of Watson, who signed a record $230 million, fully guaranteed deal when he was traded to the Houston Texans in March 2022. Before the start of free agency in 2023, the Browns freed up about $36 million in cap space by restructuring Watson’s contract and adding a void year.
Earlier in the offseason, general manager Andrew Berry said he viewed trading Watson as a long-term commitment that extended beyond his initial contract.
While the Browns didn’t add any years to Watson’s contract, the restructuring further ties them to the 28-year-old, with significant losses if they were to part ways with him before his contract expires. Watson will have salary losses of $72.9 million each over the 2025 and 2026 seasons, with salary losses of $172 million and $99 million, respectively.
In the blockbuster trade for Watson, Cleveland sent three first-round picks to Houston. Watson played just 12 games with the Browns because of injuries last season and his 2022 suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions.
Watson, a three-time Pro Bowl selection in his first four seasons with the Texans, has a 41.9 QBR since his debut with the Browns, the sixth-worst mark in the NFL over that span.
Watson rehabbed his throwing shoulder this offseason after undergoing season-ending surgery last November. After throwing every other day during the offseason, Watson participated in all but one training camp practice over the summer. Watson didn’t play in the preseason and was limited to one practice last week because of arm soreness, but he’s expected to be ready for the Browns’ season opener against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 8.
