Browns fans seem completely done with the Deshaun Watson experience. Is it finally time for Cleveland to cut ties with Watson?
The Deshaun Watson experience has never been an easy one for the Cleveland Browns. Watson has failed to live up to expectations in Cleveland after demanding a fully guaranteed contract back in 2022. But now the relationship appears to be at a breaking point following the Browns’ latest preseason matchup.
Browns fans booed Watson during his preseason appearance against the Bills on Saturday. Watson told reporters after the game that he felt disrespected by fans for being booed. He also cited the fact that Browns fans cheered the last time he tore his Achilles.
“I think the whole world knows it has nothing to do about the performance,” Watson said. “It’s a little bit more personal than that. So, I think it’s a disrespectful thing… Last time I played on this field, I tore my Achilles. That same fan base, they cheered when I got hurt,” he said. “What does that have to do with anything about performance? When a person gets hurt, especially in your home stadium, and they cheer.”
The fanbase in Cleveland seems to have been done with Watson for quite some time now. But now Watson himself seems disenchanted with the idea of playing for a hostile fanbase.
How do both sides move forward from here? Or is it finally time for Watson and the Browns to move on from each other?
Watson’s preseason mess should be the final nail in the coffin of his Browns career.
Deshaun Watson simply isn’t worth the distraction anymore in Cleveland
In the past, the Browns had no way forward other than hoping Watson would turn his career around. But that simply isn’t the situation anymore.
Cleveland already knows that they are close to the end of the Watson era. After all, it is no secret that they plan to draft a quarterback during the 2027 NFL Draft.
But does that mean the Browns should cut ties with Watson right away?
One positive of the Browns overinvesting at quarterback in recent drafts is that they could easily play the 2026 season without Watson.
Shedeur Sanders looked like a capable quarterback in 2025. The combination of Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and rookie Taylen Green should be enough to get Cleveland through the 2026 season. If they do need another option, they can always go looking for a veteran free agent at a cheap price.
Perhaps the more important question is whether or not now is the right time, financially speaking, to release Watson.
Can the Browns afford to release Deshaun Watson?
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Watson’s fully guaranteed contract is probably the only thing keeping him in Cleveland.
If the Browns do want to release Watson before the regular season, they certainly can afford to do it. But they will have to pay for that decision in the future.
Watson’s contract features a $40.96 million cap hit in 2026, with void cap hits of $36.01 million in 2027, and $51.54 million in 2028. Beyond that, Watson is still on the books for Cleveland into the 2030 season, but he will not count against the cap in 2029 or 2030.
However, that all changes if Watson gets released before the 2026 season.
If the Browns release Watson, it does not move the needle for the team’s 2026 cap figure. But it does move the rest of Watson’s dead cap hits into the 2027 season. So instead of counting $36.01 million in 2027 and $51.54 million in 2028, Watson would have a massive $86.21 million cap hit in 2027.
That is troublesome because it would immediately put the Browns almost a million over the 2027 salary cap. The silver lining is it would free up a ton of cap space during the 2028 offseason.
So yes, the Browns could afford to rip the Watson bandaid off once and for all before the regular season. The only problem is they would have to get under the salary cap during the 2027 offseason, at least enough to field a competitive roster.
If the Browns feel confident they can pull that off, then this whole saga could be over soon.
Would another NFL team take a bet on Deshaun Watson after Browns saga?
Another interesting question is whether or not Watson would find another home if the Browns did decide to release him.
At this point in his career, most NFL teams probably view Watson as damaged goods. That is true both from a PR angle and simply by looking at what he’s accomplished on the field ever since arriving in Cleveland.
Perhaps a team in need of an upgrade at backup quarterback might take a chance on Watson. But even then, it would almost certainly be on a veteran minimum contract.
The Panthers and Saints jump out as teams that could an upgrade at backup quarterback. However, it is unclear if either team’s coaching staff would entertain bringing Watson into their organization.
Ultimately, Watson getting released could very well be the end of his NFL career.
It will be fascinating to see whether or not the Browns finally pull the ripcord and cut Watson before the regular season.
The Deshaun Watson experience has never been an easy one for the Cleveland Browns. Watson has failed to live up to expectations in Cleveland after demanding a fully guaranteed contract back in 2022. But now the relationship appears to be at a breaking point following the Browns’ latest preseason matchup.
