NFL Insider Gets Honest Over Browns’ Deshaun Watson Situation

Deshaun Watson. Image Credits: Mark Goldman/Imago

NFL Insider Gets Honest Over Browns’ Deshaun Watson Situation

Originally posted on ClevelandBrownsCommunity
By Naomi Grace | Last updated May 7, 2026 9:14 AM ET

The QB1 competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders at the Browns’ camp has caught everyone’s attention. And NFL insiders have been sharing their analysis for this ‘competition.’

Zac Jackson from The Athletic also gave his take on this situation. Speaking on The Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show, he had a different take on this competition.

“In an ideal world, not only would it be 100% performance-based, but it would be clear to those making the decisions and the players in the locker room that whoever outperformed the other guy would take the job.”

But there are other things at play, not just the performance, as per the NFL Insider.

“But one of the reasons the Browns don’t live in an ideal world is because four years ago, they made the worst trade in the history of the NFL. This guy is still on the team because you can’t cut him.”

While there haven’t been any official announcements yet from Cleveland, he believes that the Browns have already chosen Watson because of his paycheck and his contract ending in 2027.

For the 2026 season, Watson is back after rehab and was at the Browns’ voluntary minicamp in April. Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot claimed that Watson had an edge over Sanders and had the inside track to be named the QB1. These claims were denied by Browns’ HC Todd Monken. But Jackson still thinks the decision has already been made.

“We are hearing things out there that they have decided Deshaun will perform better.”

The Browns are expected to announce their QB1 sometime in June after their OTAs. Till then, it is all speculation.

Browns Restructure Watson’s Contract in its Final Year

The Cleveland Browns are once again restructuring Deshaun Watson’s massive contract as he heads into the final year of his deal.

According to FOX Sports, the team is converting Watson’s $44.745 million out of his $46 million base salary into a signing bonus. The move will free up roughly $36 million in cap space. This will drop his base salary all the way down to the veteran minimum of $1.255 million.

This marks the third time the Browns have restructured the fully guaranteed $230 million contract they gave Watson after trading for him in 2022. Co-owner Jimmy Haslam previously called the acquisition a “big swing and a miss.”

Since joining the Browns, Watson has appeared in just 19 games, throwing for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Injuries, most notably two Achilles tears, have limited him severely, and he missed the entire 2025 season.

The latest financial changes come as the Browns continue trying to dig out from one of the most expensive and disappointing contracts in recent NFL history.

For now, it remains to be seen if Watson can change that disappointment if he gets to be the starting QB for this season.

Do you think Watson can return to a strong season?

This article first appeared on ClevelandBrownsCommunity and was syndicated with permission.

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