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Disgraced star quarterback Deshaun Watson may well have played his last game with the Cleveland Browns and, in turn, his last game in the NFL according to a new update on his injury status. Watson, who missed the entirety of the 2021 season and majority of the 2022 season due to several sexual assault allegations and a subsequent suspension, tore his achilles tendon against the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 20.
That alone would have been enough to jeopardize the 29-year-old’s football future. But when you pair that with the fact that Watson was playing at an historically bad level, and add in a new report suggesting that his recovery from the injury is not going according to plan, it makes the chances of Watson returning to the field at any point extremely slim.
We all see what’s happening with the #Browns.
They are going to get out of Deshaun Watson’s deal thanks to some crafty contract wording. Smart.
Cleveland and Watson will milk this injury to end their relationship.
Watson is done in the #NFL. https://t.co/8TZz8ZfXFk
— Brian Drake (@DrakeFantasy) January 6, 2025
Adding to the equation is the fact that the Browns, who inexplicably signed Watson to a five-year, $230 million contract in 2022, have a $44.3 million insurance policy on Watson should he be unable to play next season according to reporter Brian Drake.
Regardless of how they work around it, the Browns are likely on the hook for an absolutely massive about dead money – a salary cap charge for a player no longer on the roster – beginning in 2026 and beyond. That hit could potentially begin sooner should Cleveland cut ties with Watson this offseason.
While the $44.3 million insurance policy will help keep money in the pockets of own Jimmy Haslam, it won’t help with the Browns’ impending nightmare salary cap scenario.
Either way, it’s hard to imagine Watson ever taking another snap in Cleveland, and it’s hard to see any reason why another team would want to sign him going forward.