On Friday, the Cleveland Browns agreed to restructure quarterback Deshaun Watson’s mammoth five-year, $230 million contract.
The 29-year-old Watson still has two more years left on the deal inked following his trade to the Browns for three first-round picks ahead of the 2022 campaign. Cleveland’s restructuring doesn’t impact Watson’s $73 million cap hit (representing close to 27 percent of the team’s total payroll) in 2025. The amended deal allows the Browns to spread his “cap hit at the end of the contract,” meaning Watson is likely to remain in Cleveland for the next two seasons.
Watson was arguably the worst quarterback in the NFL this year. In his seven starts before tearing his Achilles. Cleveland won just once as Watson completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 1,148 yards and five touchdowns.
His QBR of 23.0 would rank last in the league if he played enough to qualify. Watson did not pass for 200 yards in a single contest and Cleveland failed to score 20 points even once.
Following his injury, Browns GM Andrew Barry was coy when asked whether Watson would be back with the team next year.
“Really our focus with Deshaun, I would say for any player with a season-ending injury and a major injury, is first and foremost with the recovery and to make sure he gets healthy from the Achilles injury,” Barry said. “Everything else we’ll deal with at a later moment.”
The Cleveland general manager also shielded his signal caller from criticism for his poor play. “I would say more broadly we didn’t play well, we haven’t played well as a team and we haven’t played well as a unit on offense,” Berry said.
“I think oftentimes when you don’t play well on offense, obviously your starting quarterback and your play-caller will get the most criticism. But the reality of it is offenses, it comes down to organization and synchronization.”
The Browns offense immediately improved when they turned to backup Jameis Winston, surprisingly beating the Baltimore Ravens 29-24 in Week 8. Despite a diminished receiving core following the team’s midseason trade of star wideout Amari Cooper, Winston topped 200+ passing yards six times and 300+ yards on three occasions.
In a thrilling 41-32 loss against a stout Denver Broncos team, Winston threw for 497 yards and four touchdowns (with three interceptions).
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