Deshaun Watson’s Latest Contract Restructuring: What $135 Million in Future Cap Charges Means for the Team

The Cleveland Browns are still feeling the sting from one of the worst trades in NFL history. They keep pushing the salary-cap problem further down the road. By 2025, they will have only managed to absorb $41.1 million of the cap dollars from Deshaun Watson’s massive contract.

Watson’s five-year contract is worth a staggering $230 million, fully guaranteed. By 2025, he will have received $184 million, but about half of that—$94.6 million—will actually count against the salary cap.

What does this mean? The remaining $135.4 million will be accounted for in 2026 and later. Changes to the deal last year allow the Browns to spread this dead money out to as far as 2029. Unfortunately, they won’t be rid of this hefty contract anytime soon.

This restructuring also sends a couple of clear messages. First, the idea of offloading Watson’s contract by trading Myles Garrett is off the table. By turning a chunk of Watson’s 2025 salary into a bonus, the Browns have reduced his cash obligation to about $47.3 million. For now, they will stick with him to avoid further cap chaos.

Second, the Browns won’t be looking for a way out of Watson’s guarantees, especially after writing him a check for nearly $44.8 million. It’s clear they are committed to him long term.

In summary, Watson will receive the full $230 million. The Browns will also face the entire cap charge of that amount. Plus, they’ve lost three first-round draft picks, which could have brought in young and promising players. At this point, it’s a tough situation for the team.

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