Deshaun Watson’s tenure with the Browns isn’t coming to an end soon although most of Cleveland’s fan base would be happy with his immediate departure. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the controversial quarterback is expected to finish the unprecedented fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million contract he received in connection with his March 2022 trade to the Browns. It doesn’t matter that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has admitted that exchanging 2022, 2023 and 2024 first-round picks, a 2022 fourth-round pick, a 2023 third-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick with the Houston Texans for Watson and a 2024 sixth-round pick was a huge mistake.
Cleveland’s plans with Watson have been etched in stone ever since a December 2024 contract maneuver. Two contract years in 2029 and 2030 voiding on the first day of the 2029 waiver period (one day after Super Bowl LXIII in February 2029) were added while existing dummy/voiding 2027 and 2028 contract years were turned into real contract years with minimum salaries. Watson’s base salary in the voiding 2029 contract year is an unsecured $200 million that becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2027 league year.
Watson will be released in March 2027 with a post-June 1 designation before the 2029 salary guarantee vests. A team can release two players each league year prior to June 2 using a post-June 1 designation that will be treated under the salary cap as if released after June 1. With a post-June 1 designation, a team is required to carry the player’s full cap number until June 2 even though he is no longer a part of the roster. The player’s salary comes off the books at that time unless it is guaranteed.
Only the current year’s bonus proration counts toward the cap with players released using a post-June 1 designation. The acceleration of the bonus proration in future contract years is delayed until the following league year, which typically begins in early to mid-March. In Watson’s case, using a post-June 1 designation will allow the Browns to take the salary cap hit from his multiple contract restructures over the 2027 and 2028 league years.
Another contract restructure like in the previous three years will be necessary before the 2026 league year starts on March 11 because Cleveland has a tight salary cap situation. Watson has 2026’s largest cap number at $80,716,534. Converting $44.7 million of Watson’s fully guaranteed $46 million 2026 base salary will create $35.76 million of 2026 cap space.
By taking this approach, the Browns will have dead money, a salary cap charge for a player no longer on a team’s roster, totaling $86,206,864 when Watson is released in 2027. The current record for dead money in parting ways with a player is the $85 million the Denver Broncos had during 2024 and 2025 for releasing quarterback Russell Wilson in March 2024 with a post-June 1 designation. Watson’s dead money will be split into $34,663,514 in 2027 and $51,543,350 in 2028.
The $34,663,514 will consist of $8,018,836 in 2027 bonus proration from the 2023 contract restructure, $8,755,678 in 2027 bonus proration from the 2024 contract restructure, $8.949 million in 2027 bonus proration from the 2025 contract restructure and $8.94 million in 2027 bonus proration from the 2026 contract restructure. The $51,543,350 will be composed from $8,755,678 of 2028 bonus proration relating to the 2024 contract restructure, $15,967,672 of 2028 and 2029 bonus proration as a result of the 2025 contract restructure and $26.82 million of 2028 through 2030 bonus proration from the 2026 contract restructure. Watson will be off Cleveland’s books starting in 2029.
Getting rid of Watson this year using a post-June 1 designation without doing another contract restructure would mean $80,716,514 of 2026 dead money, which is his current 2026 cap number, and $50,446,864 in 2027. Watson can’t be released conventionally this year because the dead money would be $131,163,378 with the $50,446,864 of bonus proration from his future contract years, including the dummy/voiding years, accelerating to 2026.
Trading Watson isn’t feasible either. He can’t be moved without his consent because of his no-trade clause. Watson doesn’t have trade value considering he is coming off the torn right Achilles he suffered in October 2024, the retear requiring another surgical repair in January 2025, his off-the-field baggage and stunning regression since joining the Browns. The quarterback who led the NFL with 4,823 passing yards and set a Texans franchise record for touchdown passes (33) in 2020 doesn’t seem to exist anymore.
Even if a trade partner could be found after the 2026 salary conversion takes place, the Browns would have the same $86,206,864 of dead money in 2027 as releasing Watson conventionally next year provided he was dealt after June 1. Prior to June 2, the Browns would have $129,863,378 in dead money for 2026 by trading Watson once the 2026 contract restructure occurs.
The coaching change from Kevin Stefanki to Todd Monken is potentially beneficial to Watson. Monken is intrigued by Watson because of the quarterback’s previous success when playing against him. Watson regaining some semblance of his previous form after his injuries, which also include a fracture to the glenoid bone in his throwing (right) shoulder that limited him to six games in 2023, would be a remarkable and improbable turnaround.
