What are the financial implications of the Browns' decision to restructure Deshaun Watson's contract

According to contract-oriented websites like Over the Cap and Spotrac, Watson already had two void years in his deal (2027 and 2028). What the Browns did, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, was to add two more void years, in 2029 and 2030, to spread future cap hits.

In this case, it's now possible to spread the dead money, which would lessen the burden of it in 2027 — on the other hand, the remaining dead money would hit entirely in 2028.

Contract structure

Watson's contract is fully guaranteed through 2026. He is slated to make $46 million in each of the next two seasons. The cap hits are $72.935 million in 2025 and $72.935 million in 2026. The Browns would still have to handle $26.9 million in dead money in 2027 without Watson on the roster — applying a post-June 1st designation, though, would make it possible to split that amount of money in two years. The team is expected to have some cap credited back based on insurance for injuries.

The Browns could still make another adjustment to Watson's contract to lower his cap hit in 2025. As a consequence, the cap hit in 2026 and the dead money after his deal expires would be higher.

According to Ian Rapoport, the Browns are expected to keep Deshaun Watson through 2025 and maybe 2026, but they will bring competition at the quarterback position next season. This year, the team signed Jameis Winston in free agency to be a backup quarterback.

If the Atlanta Falcons cut Kirk Cousins, he would be an immediate option based on his contract — the Browns would likely be able to sign him for the veteran minimum.