There have been many landmark NFL contracts, but Deshaun Watson’s Cleveland Browns contract serves as a cautionary tale. After their high hopes for the quarterback tanked, the franchise is set to get a big chunk from his contract in cap credit.

“NFLPA records show that starting in 2024, because just quick history here,” Pro Football Network’s Mike Florio said. “The insurance provision was in the contract the moment it was signed. $230 million, fully guaranteed, an insurance addendum allows Browns to purchase insurance that would give them, upto certain specific amounts of money based upon injuries that happened.”

On July 6, Florio said that per NFL Players Association accounts, Watson’s injuries have resulted in more than $88 million in the franchise’s cap credits. Upon reviewing the language in Watson’s contract, Pro Football Network reported that the March 2023 contract restructuring allowed for these notable credits.

The insurance addendum will permit the Browns to recover bits from Watson’s massive $230 million contract if missed time because of injuries, per the report. On 20 October 2024, Watson sustained a season-ending injury to his right Achilles tendon. He re-injured himself in 2025, which sidelined him for an entire season.

Watson's 19-game output in four years is why this insurance matters: it lets the Browns offset some losses.

The Browns traded for Watson from Houston in 2022, signing him to a five-year fully guaranteed deal. In 2020, the year before his 11-game suspension, Watson led the NFL with 4,823 passing yards.

He has failed to replicate his past success, leaving the Browns at a financial and on-field loss. While Florio said the amount to cross over $88 million, an opposing report suggests that the number is significantly lower. 

Over the Cap names the Deshaun Watson’s Cleveland Browns savings less than $10 million

On July 7, Troy Chapman of OTC made an X post sharing the financial statement over the same issue raised by Mike Florio. This however, is widely different. 

“The amounts listed below are the revised prorated bonus amounts, AFTER the credit was applied,” he wrote in his X post, which included a screenshot. “There are other savings from base salary amounts as well on top of the $9.8m.”

According to the X post, the yearly amounts were essentially the revised prorated bonus amounts. To calculate the actual savings from cap credits, they have to be subtracted from the original amounts. This brings the total to $9.834 million. 

This season is the last one where Deshaun Watson has to play for the Browns per his contract. Will he start and play better than his past season? What are your thoughts?

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Written by

Akanksha Biradar