The Cleveland Browns haven’t ruled out bringing Deshaun Watson back in 2025, despite his on-field difficulties and two straight season-ending injuries. Watson has also had his fair share of off-the-field problems which also play into the decision-making factor.
Watson’s future with the Browns will allegedly be evaluated at a later moment according to Browns general manager Andrew Berry during a press conference on Wednesday in response to a question regarding his status. The suggestion that Watson might not return next season comes from a Browns official for the first time, but are we shocked?
When asked about the idea of benching Watson, head coach Kevin Stefanski brushed it off, even during a difficult season. But in the end, Stefanski ultimately lost control of the wheels of the game when Watson tore his Achilles tendon in the second quarter of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals on October 20. Watson was then only able to play six games last season due to a shoulder injury before needing season-ending surgery.
During his three years with the Browns, Watson’s availability has been a worry in addition to his performance problems. When Cleveland acquired him, he gave him a five-year, $230 million contract that was completely guaranteed, making it difficult to go on. Over the last two years, the contract has undergone two restructurings, each of which added vacant years to the end. Given that the Browns were prepared to take the chance of offering him that costly deal in the first place, it’s puzzling why Watson would agree to lower his compensation to enable a trade for a new start.
Since being moved to Cleveland three years ago, Watson has only appeared in 19 games. Watson’s deal would be major for a team that already has cap issues heading into the off-season, even in this day and age when teams have demonstrated the ability to pay huge dead-cap costs to get rid of quarterbacks they no longer want. The question remains, what is next for Watson?
