Deshaun Watson is still trying to win back the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback job, but he has already landed at No. 1 on one NFL list.
Just not the kind any player wants.
Bleacher Report ranked Watson’s contract as the worst in the NFL ahead of the season, putting the Browns quarterback at the top of a list. Watson signed a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract with the Browns in 2022 after Cleveland acquired him from the Houston Texans in one of the most aggressive trades in franchise history. Four years later, the deal remains one of the defining parts of the Browns’ roster build.
“The Problem: Four years into that infamous deal, Watson has thrown a grand total of 19 touchdown passes in 19 starts,” Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon wrote. “He hasn’t been an effective NFL player since 2020, and that’s extremely unlikely to suddenly change in his age-31 season.”
The cap hit does not help. Watson is entering the final year of the deal and will count nearly $45 million against the cap, which Bleacher Report noted is the third-highest cap hit in the NFL.
Deshaun Watson Addresses Comeback With Browns
Watson returned to the field this offseason after a long recovery from his Achilles injury and made it clear he is not treating his opportunity lightly.
“I mean, it’s a blessing. It’s great,” Watson said on June 10. “Anytime you get the opportunity to play in the National Football League is an honor. So, I don’t take it for granted.”
Watson has played just 19 games for the Browns since arriving in 2022. He missed the entire 2025 season while recovering from his Achilles injury, putting him in a position this offseason where he had to prove he was healthy enough to compete with Shedeur Sanders for the starting job. Watson said he is in a better place mentally and physically heading into the season.
“I’m great mentally. I’m in a great space,” Watson said. “You know, my home is good. Me and my wife is doing a heck of a job just working each and every day mentally to just stay on top of what we need to stay on top of.”
Watson also said he never doubted whether he would play again and believes he is ready to handle a full season.
“I’m fully healthy, ready to go,” Watson said. “This last year I was able to conquer that. And I’ll just say I haven’t really been 100% since that Tennessee game in ’23.”
Browns Leave Door Open for Deshaun Watson’s Future
Watson’s contract expires after the season, but Browns general manager Andrew Berry is not publicly closing the door on a future beyond 2026. During an appearance on 92.3 The Fan, Berry was asked about the possibility of Watson remaining with the Browns after this season.
“I think everything is on the table,” Berry said. “I think it would be silly to go into a season saying, ‘Something absolutely can or cannot happen.’”
Berry pointed to other quarterbacks who rebuilt their careers after difficult stretches, including Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield.
“So I think you have to be open-minded and flexible,” Berry said. “But I wouldn’t rule out anything. We’re looking for guys who can perform and who can lead.”
That does not mean Watson has a clear path to another deal in Cleveland. The Browns are still evaluating Sanders, who made progress this offseason and remains firmly in the quarterback competition. Cleveland also has future draft capital, including two 2027 first-round picks, if the team decides to look for a long-term answer elsewhere.
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