The Cleveland Browns are going to start quarterback Deshaun Watson in Week 1, but that decision could be as much, or more, about the money the team can save than it is about Watson giving the team its best chance to win.
Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac described a so-called “poison pill” in the fifth-year of Watson’s fully guaranteed $230 million contract as part of a social media post last month.
“Deshaun Watson’s contract contains a built-in poison pill. If he’s on the roster next March 13th, a $200M salary guarantee kicks in,” Ginnitti wrote on August 24. “This affords Cleveland the opportunity to designate him a Post [June 1] release before [March 13, 2027], which splits the remaining dead cap into; 2027: $34.6M; 2028: $51.5M.”
Garrett Burroughs of USA Today’s BrownsWire examined Ginnitti’s post on Thursday, September 3 in the context of Watson earning the starting job and concluded that it might be part of a larger strategy on Cleveland’s part to manage Watson’s remaining salary cap hits as effectively as possible before parting ways with the controversial quarterback for good.
“The idea behind starting Watson is that his play can drive him out of Cleveland, and if the franchise cuts him post 6/1 release before 3/13, it splits the remaining dead cap,” Burroughs reiterated.
Dillon Gabriel’s Stint on IR to Begin Season May Also Be Part of Larger Browns’ QB Strategy
As of now, Watson is the starter and Shedeur Sanders is his backup. Meanwhile, sixth-round rookie Taylen Green is on the practice squad and presumptive QB3 Dillon Gabriel is on the injured reserve list (IR) with a back injury.
Some have questioned the veracity of Gabriel’s back issue after he put up a stat line in the Browns’ preseason finale against the New England Patriots that included 12-of-15 passing for 186 yards and three touchdowns.
Designating Gabriel to the IR allows Cleveland to retain all four quarterbacks, while technically rostering only three of them to begin the year. That may buy the team time to trade Gabriel for a draft asset, if that is the goal.
Otherwise, it should allow the Browns a month of runway to evaluate Watson and decide if there is any reason to keep him as the starter or in a backup role. If not, the Browns can elevate Sanders and slide Gabriel into the QB2 spot ahead of Week 5.
Taylen Green May Have Brightest Cleveland Future of All Current Browns QBs
The attention Cleveland’s quarterback juggling has garnered during the offseason is at least a little ironic given the likelihood that the longterm starter may not even be on the team yet.
The Browns own two first-round picks in 2027, which is replete with a strong QB class. Watson’s contract finally ends after this season, even though cap penalties from restructures will stretch out for multiple years to come.
Sanders and Gabriel are second-year players, and it seems unlikely that both will be back in 2027 and beyond. Green probably will be on the team next season, perhaps alongside either Sanders or Gabriel, and potentially in competition with a highly-drafted rookie for the QB1 job.
All that said, if the Browns take a signal-caller next April as most NFL insiders expect, that player will wear the moniker of franchise QB moving forward, and it will be only a matter of time before he takes the reins of the offense in Cleveland for good.
Browns’ Call to Start Deshaun Watson May Include Ulterior Financial Motive