The Browns just made their Deshaun Watson catastrophe a little bit better.
Cleveland.com reported Friday the Browns are restructuring Watson’s contract in a move that will clear nearly $36 million in cap space, halting what would have been a league-high $80.7 million cap hit for 2026.
A hefty portion of the $46 million base salary the controversial quarterback is owed for 2026 is being converted into a restructured bonus up to $44.745 million, per the report.
The Watson era has been an utter disaster for the Browns, with the quarterback — who agreed to a five-year, fully guaranteed deal worth $230 million — appearing in just 19 games for Cleveland since being traded by the Texans in 2022.
The former first-round pick, who served an 11-game suspension in 2022 stemming from sexual misconduct allegations, missed all of the 2025 season as he recovered from an Achilles injury.
Even as Browns owner Jimmy Haslam admitted a “swing and miss” on the Watson acquisition, first-year coach Todd Monken is looking forward to seeing the QB back in action.
“Anytime that you have a player that at one time has exhibited the skill set at an elite level,” Monken said last month. “I think 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 I think that’s how you should look at every player.”
Monken, the former Ravens’ offensive coordinator, said the team will have an open quarterback competition between Watson, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
Gabriel and Sanders were selected by the Browns in last year’s NFL draft, and both started under center.
Watson, a Pro Bowler during his time with the Texans, has yet to throw for more than 1,200 yards or seven touchdowns in a season in Cleveland.
The Browns finished the 2025 season at 5-12.
