Sources: Browns rework Watson contract to lower NFL-high cap hit
ESPN • • sports
Key Points:
- The Cleveland Browns are restructuring quarterback Deshaun Watson's contract, freeing nearly $36 million in cap space and ensuring the team is cap compliant ahead of the new league year.
- Watson, who missed the 2025 season recovering from an Achilles tear, was set for an $80.7 million cap hit in 2026, the largest in the NFL, with a fully guaranteed $46 million salary that year.
- Since joining Cleveland in 2022 on a fully guaranteed $230 million deal, Watson has played only 19 games due to suspension and injuries and holds the lowest Total QBR among qualified passers at 33.1.
- Watson is expected to compete for the Browns' starting quarterback position alongside Shedeur
