Deshaun Watson has cost the Browns more than just money

Three years into Watson’s tenure, there are several ways to quantify the trade, which ultimately cost the Browns more than just the dollars in the contract.

The Cleveland Browns sent a shockwave through the NFL on Friday with the news that quarterback Deshaun Watson had re-injured his surgically repaired Achilles tendon.

Watson underwent surgery to fix the latest tear, which, depending on his recovery, could end his 2025 season before it began.

Cleveland took a chance on Watson because talented quarterbacks—and he was talented during his time with the Houston Texans—rarely become available. Of course, there were well-known reasons why Watson was available that the Browns thought they could work through, and we all know how well that worked out.

It is important to remember, however, that the Browns were not the only teams pursuing Watson in the offseason of 2022, they were just the ones willing to give him a $230 million guaranteed contract to come to town.

Watson’s time in Cleveland was likely coming to an end even before this latest injury news, so if it turns out that he truly has played his final game with the Browns, let’s take a look at what it truly cost the team, both on and off the field, to acquire him.

Draft Capital

Cleveland sent five draft picks, including three first-round selections, to the Texans to acquire Watson. While it would still have been a steep price even if he had played up to the standard he set in Houston, that didn’t happen and the Browns are feeling the sting of those lost picks.

While no one should refer to this roster as a reincarnation of the “Over the Hill Gang” that Washington fielded in the early 1970s, many of the Browns key players are now three years older and the quarterback position is as uncertain as it was in 2022. Not having those draft picks to build the next generation of core players is one the team will feel for a while.

Fan Equity

The off-field issues that ultimately led to Watson being suspended by the NFL for 11 games in 2022 turned off segments of the fan base from the moment the Browns acquired him.

The team’s higher-ups clearly thought they would be able to handle the PR storm that Watson brought with him. Still, it is fair to wonder if they truly realized just how polarizing the move would be for what is one of the league’s most loyal, and certainly most tortured, fan base.

Watson’s time in Cleveland has been one of the most divisive in franchise history, which is saying a lot for those old enough to remember when Bill Belichick dismantled the heart of the 1980s playoff teams, or for younger fans who lived through the Analytics Wars and the Baker Mayfield era.

There are fans who have sworn off the Browns forever, those who may return once Watson is no longer on the roster, and those who stay with the team no matter what. There is no right or wrong in this situation from a fan perspective, but the past three years have left a mark on the team that it may find hard to remove.

Salary Cap Ramifications

While Watson’s guaranteed contract has not crippled the Browns the way so many media analysts have claimed, the reality is that the Browns still owe Watson $46 million this year and in 2026. They call it guaranteed money for a reason, after all.

They could also release him, but if they designated him as a post-June 1 release that would be a dead cap charge of $119 million, according to ESPN, which is too much for any team to work through.

The insurance policy the team took out on Watson’s contract will provide some cap relief due to his injuries. The Browns pulled that financial lever in 2023 when he injured his shoulder, and the season-ending Achilles injury will allow them to do so again.

According to ESPN, the Browns have insured $44.2 million of Watson’s $46 million for injury, so they will receive some cap relief in 2026.

That is all fine, and general manager Andrew Berry has had little trouble in working around Watson’s cap hit the past three seasons. But as Watson has not played up to what the Browns expected, it would be nice if Berry could focus attention on other areas without having to exert energy on a high-priced player who is not on the field.

The On-Field Cost

The $230 million is a sunk cost, the Browns have to pay it no matter what. But as we mentioned at the top, if Watson’s time in Cleveland has concluded, what did the Browns receive for all that money?

Watson played 19 games, completing 341 passes in 557 attempts, threw for 3,365 yards and 19 touchdowns, and the Browns won nine of the games that he started.

At the risk of coming off as petty, it breaks down to:

• $12.1 million per game played
• $674,486 per completion
• $412,926 per attempt
• $68,350 per passing yard
• $12.1 million per touchdown pass
• $25.6 million per win

The Browns took a gamble on Watson in 2022 and it did not work out for a variety of reasons. In addition to the dollars in his contract, it also cost the team both on and off the field, again for a variety of reasons.

And while Watson’s tenure in Cleveland may be coming to a close, the team will be footing the unexpected costs for quite some time.