Deshaun Watson may be on the Cleveland Browns roster next season but the team’s $230 million quarterback seeing the field next season appears unlikely.
Watson is entering the final year of the five-year extension he signed after arriving in Cleveland in 2022. And while he is expected to remain on the Browns’ roster, his role going forward is far from clear. Watson’s contract makes it difficult for the franchise to move on financially. There is little indication that he is being viewed as a reliable option to lead the offense next season as Cleveland evaluates alternative paths at quarterback.
“Early signs point to (Shedeur) Sanders getting to compete for the job, Watson being stuck on the roster and another quarterback addition in the middle rounds of the draft,” Zac Jackson of The Athletic said.
Jackson adds that if Watson ends up seeing the field next season, it would be a troubling sign for a franchise still feeling the ripple effects of the trade owner Jimmy Haslam labeled a “swing and miss.”
“If Watson actually has to play next season, that’s the result of choices Cleveland has made in the past and a reminder of why Berry seems to be facing a tough-sell job right now,” Jackson said, referencing the team’s search for their next head coach after firing Kevin Stefanski.
Browns Expect Deshaun Watson Back Next Season
Watson never saw the field this season but still left an impression inside the building. He was active in the quarterback room, offering input and leadership, and looked sharp during his three-week practice window — though the Browns ultimately never elevated him to the active roster.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry all but assured that Watson will be in the roster next season in his end-of-year press conference.
“I’ll say we’re very pleased with how Deshaun went through and attacked his rehab this past year, how he engaged with the team, what he did in the meeting rooms. Very pleased with the progress that he made in that regard,” Berry said. “Look, I can never predict the future, but right now we do anticipate him being on the 2026 team. But we have a long way to go before we get to that point with any player.”
Deshaun Watson ‘Most Talented’ Browns QB
Financial realities make it difficult for the Browns to move on from Watson and his $230 million fully guaranteed contract, but some recent commentary on the quarterback has been favorable.
“He’ll be on the team next season in the final year of his contract, and was the most talented quarterback on the field during his three-week practice window in December,” Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com said. “The ball came out very well, and Watson moved well despite undergoing two surgeries to repair his ruptured and re-ruptured Achilles. His arm looked better than it did in 2024, when he was coming off surgery to repair his fractured shoulder.”
The problem for the Browns is that they’ve seen what the results have been with Watson on the field. He’s gone 9-10 as the starter, passing for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Gets Unfortunate Future Update