Deshaun Watson Likely Won’t Play in 2025. He Has a $172M Dead-Cap Hit

The Browns keep kicking the can down the road, as the NFL franchise attempts to weather the financial impediments of the record contract they gave quarterback Deshaun Watson in 2022.

Watson, who is currently rehabbing from a second Achilles surgery in January that was first torn in October, has two seasons remaining on his five-year, $230 million deal—the most lucrative guaranteed contract in NFL history. On Thursday, Cleveland restructured the contract to free up $35.79 million of 2025 salary-cap commitments (all figures via Spotrac).

The Browns are one of several teams that need to get under the $279.2 million cap figure by March 12. After the Watson restructuring, Cleveland now has $12.8 million of cap space, so even more moves will likely be coming.

By converting most of Watson’s $46 million 2025 salary to a signing bonus, the Browns lowered his cap hit this year to $36.9 million but raised his 2026 number to $81.6 million. His dead-cap hit—how much Cleveland would be on the hook for if they cut him—is $172.3 million this year and $135.4 million in 2026. 

That number will be $53.7 million in 2027, when Watson won’t be on the team anymore and the Browns won’t be able to restructure his cap hits. Cleveland could shift some of the $81.6 million cap hit in 2026 to 2027.

Franchise in Flux?

The issues for the Browns run deeper than Watson.

Cleveland owns the No. 2 pick in April’s NFL Draft, which would often be a great chance to select a promising quarterback who plays on a team-friendly rookie contract. However, this year’s class is notably weaker than in previous years, with many experts noting that top prospects Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders would likely not be top-10 picks in other drafts.

Meanwhile, Browns All-Pro pass rusher Myles Garrett continues to seek a trade, remaining unhappy with the team’s on-field potential. However, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry, who both signed contract extensions in June 2024, have said they want to keep Garrett and don’t intend on moving the franchise player.