It looks like 2026 is the more likely year for Watson to be cut. The Browns would absorb $73 million in dead money but would avoid losing cap space. Regardless, though, it’s going to cost the Browns when they finally do dump Watson.

After the announcement that Deshaun Watson will need surgery and his 2025 season is in doubt, he may be the worst trade ever.

The Browns have $44.3 million of Watson’s $46 million base salary covered by insurance. Yes, this means that the Browns will see $44.3 million put back into their cap space. However, this policy would not be cashed out until after the 2025 season, so the Browns would see that total recouped in their 2026 cap space.

Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson underwent surgery Thursday after tearing his Achilles for a second time, the team announced, adding that Watson "will likely miss significant time during the 2025 season.

That news could hurt the Giants’ chances of finding a quarterback with the No. 3 pick in April's NFL Draft. The Browns have the No. 2 pick after the Titans go first, and with Watson expected to “miss significant time” next season per the team’s statement, they’re now in the market for a quarterback.

The Cleveland Browns will be without quarterback Deshaun Watson for the foreseeable future, including significant time in the 2025 season. The controversial Watson suffered a second rupture of his right Achilles tendon and had surgery to fix the issue.

The Browns head into this offseason with a few positional needs, but one of the biggest ones is at quarterback. With the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, Cleveland is in a great position to get one of the top signal-callers.

There is a long list of disappointing Browns players during the disastrous 2024 season. Finishing the campaign with six straight losses and securing the No. 2 overall pick in the draft was the only silver lining in this miserable year.