The Cleveland Browns look ready and eager to move on from Deshaun Watson.
Team owner Jimmy Haslam recently admitted that trading for him was a big swing and miss, and added that they needed to resume their pursuit of a franchise quarterback.
That’s why it would’ve made sense to just cut ties with him and absorb the cap hit.
However, the Browns aren’t willing to deal with the financial repercussions that would come with that decision, according to a report by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated:
“They could certainly walk away from him, but not the money,” Breer wrote. “They already converted him for 2025, so he’s already earned a $44.745 million signing bonus. His base salary is $1.255 million, the veteran minimum. So if the Browns cut him now, and he signed somewhere else, they’d be responsible for the $44.745 million. So, yeah, it makes sense for them to keep him now on the chance he turns things around.”
Watson suffered a setback in his recovery, and he’s looking at a lot of time on the sidelines, so the prospect of having him play for another team seems far-fetched.
Even so, it does make some sense from a financial standpoint.
Watson may have played his final snap with the Browns, and it’s hard to imagine any other team legitimately thinking he can be a starter after everything that has transpired in the past couple of years.
Of course, the athleticism and talent are there, but that might not be enough.
He has struggled with injuries, there have been worrisome reports about his demeanor, and he comes with too much negative attention as well.
All things considered, he may never play another game in the National Football League after he finally leaves Cleveland.
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