This will be a big offseason for the Cleveland Browns after they failed to accomplish much with the talented roster they had assembled a couple of years ago.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson has been a total disappointment, and wide receiver Amari Cooper was traded during this season, which means a significant retooling could take place soon.
Watson, who tore his Achilles in October, seems unlikely to start or even appear in a game for the Browns again, but they reportedly did make a change to his contract that will ease their salary cap burden a bit.
“The Browns and QB Deshaun Watson agreed to terms on a restructured contract, one that keeps him at $92M fully guaranteed due over two years but eases the future cap burden,” NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport wrote on X.
From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: The #Browns and QB Deshaun Watson agreed to terms on a restructured contract, one that keeps him at $92M fully guaranteed due over 2 years but eases the future cap burden. pic.twitter.com/qS4bNgUokr
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 28, 2024
Perhaps some Browns fans were hoping the team could release Watson or somehow get another team to take him off their hands in a trade, but this move seems to indicate he will be on the roster next season.
When the Browns gave up multiple draft picks for Watson and signed him to a huge five-year contract in 2022, it looked like they had assembled a respectable playoff-caliber roster.
But Watson has played poorly since coming to Cleveland, and he has also been dogged by numerous sexual misconduct allegations and lawsuits off the field.
He had been one of the NFL’s brightest young QBs while with the Houston Texans and led the league in passing yards in 2020.
Cleveland has gone with Jameis Winston and Dorian Thompson-Robinson under center since Watson’s season-ending injury, but neither has been impressive.
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