The Cleveland Browns would prefer QB Deshaun Watson remain on the IR all season for several reasons, but the team could be in trouble if he tries to return.
Browns Warned About Looming Deshaun Watson Catastrophe Amid QB Uncertainty originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
There may have never been a team less interested in the return of its highest-paid quarterback than the current case of the Cleveland Browns and Deshaun Watson.
Watson represents a franchise-defining mistake as arguably the focal point of both the worst trade in NFL history (three first-round picks and then some to the Houston Texans) and the worst contract the league has ever seen (five years for $230 million, fully guaranteed).
The Browns also took a massive hit with huge swaths of the public for bringing Watson in three years ago while he was embroiled in civil and legal battles that ended up involving more than two dozen accusations of sexual misconduct.
For all the draft equity, money and public relations hits Cleveland took to secure the three-time Pro Bowler, what the team got in return was 19 bad-to-mediocre starts (9-10) over the past three years, with Watson entering his fourth season continuing to rehabilitate from a twice-torn Achilles tendon.
Browns Can Benefit Greatly if Deshaun Watson Misses the Entire Season
Ironically, Watson's injury might prove a net positive for the Browns if he remains out all season based on the salary cap relief that will provide.
The franchise will also be able to cash in on its lucrative insurance policy on Watson and recoup a big chunk of change in the process should he remain on the injured list all 18 weeks.
However, if Watson returns to full health before the year is out, Cleveland could have a serious problem on its hands.
Deshaun Watson Could Try to Enact Revenge on Browns After Offseason Comments From Ownership
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explained the situation on Tuesday, August 5.
"If he [Watson] can play, the Browns will have to move him to the 53-man roster, or release him. That could prompt the Browns to disagree with Watson, even if it sets the stage for a formal grievance — with Watson saying he’s healthy enough to play and the Browns saying he’s not," Florio said.
"The stakes are high for the Browns. If they opt not to put him on the roster with their existing clusterfudge of quarterbacks, releasing him would set the stage for a devastating 2026 cap charge of $131.161 million. (They’ll still be absorbing those cap dollars, in time.) The best outcome for the Browns is to get Watson to want to spend the season on the PUP list."
Florio pointed out, however, that team owner Jimmy Haslam wrote Watson off earlier this offseason, essentially referring to him as a bust for the organization and a sunk cost moving forward.
As such, Watson could push as hard as possible for a return to action simply in an attempt for revenge on an organization that gave him a chance in 2022 -- not to mention a boatload of money and power -- but has since given up on him as a player in very public fashion.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Football
