Browns restructuring Deshaun Watson’s contract today to reduce his $81M cap charge, freeing up $36M of space
CLEVELAND, Ohio — For what could be the last time, the Browns are restructuring Deshaun Watson’s enormous contract today to clear cap space heading into free agency and the trade market next week.
The Browns are converting a huge chunk of Watson’s $46 million base salary into a restructure bonus — up to $44.745 million — to ease his $80.716 million cap charge.
Leaving him with the veteran minimum of $1.255 million, it’s expected to free up about $36 million in cap space, with the remaining charges being added to the void years in his contract, which currently run from 2027 to 2029.
The Browns are also expected to restructure the contract of other players, including five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward, who has a $32.8 million cap charge in 2026.
By converting all but $1.255 million of Ward’s $16.9 million base salary into a restructure bonus, the Browns can free up another roughly $15.6 million in space.
Watson’s restructure will enable the Browns to sign some of their own free agents and those of other teams. They need offensive linemen and receivers, among other things. The negotiating period opens at noon Monday, and teams can finalize deals on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
A high priority for the Browns in free agency is to re-sign pending free agent linebacker Devin Bush, who had a career year for them last season, notching a career-high 124 tackles and three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. He was the only player in the NFL with two pick-sixes in 2025.
In addition to Bush, the Browns will try to re-sign punter Cory Bojorquez and guard Teven Jenkins, both of whom are set to hit the market next week.
The NFL salary cap for 2026 has increased by $22 million to $301.2 million, the first time it’s eclipsed $300 million.
Heading into Watson’s restructure, the Brown were $17.1 million over the cap, for the third-least space in the NFL. The two teams below them were the Bills ($31.77 million over) and the Vikings ($46.675 million over).
Watson, 30, is heading into the final year of his five-year, $230 million contract, which remains the only fully-guaranteed contract in the NFL.
He’s 100% healthy after undergoing two surgeries to repair his Achilles, which he originally tore Oct. 20, 2024 against the Bengals and then re-tore after the season. He also underwent surgery to repair his fractured shoulder in 2023.
He’s currently throwing and rehabbing in Florida, and will compete with Shedeur Sanders for the starting job unless the Browns shake up the quarterback room over the next two months.
“Anytime that you have a player that at one time has exhibited the skillset at an elite level, you’re always going to give them the benefit of the doubt that somehow we might be able to get that out of him again, and that’s how you should look at every player,” coach Todd Monken said at the NFL Combine last week. “I’ve said that. You guys have heard me say it.
“I’m going to let it play out … I don’t decide who plays. The players decide who plays. I’ve never decided who plays.”
Browns GM Andrew Berry also acknowledged at the NFL Combine last week that Watson will be firmly in the mix for the starting job. In addition to Watson and Sanders, the Browns still have 2025 third-round pick Dillon Gabriel on their roster, but he’s not considered a top contender to start on opening day. In fact, the Browns will be willing to trade Gabriel and add another QB, possibly another developmental one.
“Any player on our roster we would want to compete,” Berry said. “We believe in competition at every spot. That’s no different than quarterback. Deshaun’s been working really hard. He’s been working his tail off. And like I said, we’re excited to go in April with all of our players across the roster because competition is something that we really believe in.”
Because of Watson’s injuries and his 11-game suspension in 2022 for what the NFL deemed sexual misconduct during massage therapy appointments, he hasn’t lived up to expectations after the Browns acquired him in the blockbuster trade with the Texans.
The Browns traded a net of five picks, including three first-rounders, to acquire the three-time Pro Bowler.
Watson has gone 9-10 in his 19 starts over three years, with 19 touchdowns passes and 12 interceptions en route to a 80.7 rating. He’s also completed 61.2% of his passes.
But he’s never started more than seven games in a season here, and Browns owner Jimmy Haslam described the trade as “a big swing and a miss” during the NFL Annual Meetings last March. Despite that, some in the Browns organization felt that Watson was the most talented quarterback on the field when his practice window was open for three weeks last December.
Watson hasn’t started a full season since 2020 in Houston, but led the NFL with 4,823 passing yards that season, throwing 33 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions. He also finished second in the NFL with a 112.4 rating.
Watson has vowed to come back better and stronger than ever after the back-to-back Achilles surgeries.
“The performance comes when your back is against the wall,” Watson said in a video posted in April of 2025. “It comes better because you’ve kind of got to lock in. You don’t have anything pretty much to lose, and I feel like that’s where I’m at right now.”
In the wake of Haslam’s viral comments, Watson noted that “everyone’s doubting me. Everyone don’t believe in me. Everyone don’t think that I can get back to where I was. But I know and I believe the work that I put in, what I believe in myself, the peace that I’ve been channeling these last couple of months, I know I’m going to be way better than before.”
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