Houston Texans great J.J. Watt was in town, taking in training camp, and the likely future Hall of Famer offered candid thoughts about former teammate and current Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Browns head coach Todd Monken named Watson the team’s starting quarterback on Monday, continuing a firestorm that has surrounded the three-time Pro Bowler since 2021.
Watt, Watson’s teammate for fours years, understands not all decisions are made on the field.
Deshaun Watson Gets Telling Take From J.J. Watt During Texans Training Camp
GettyJ.J. Watt kept it simple regarding Deshaun Watson.
Watt addressed a variety of topics during his day with the Texans, but he chose his words carefully when discussing Watson and his polarizing situation.
“If I’m being completely honest, I didn’t see the entire press conference,” Watt told reporters on August 24. “So, I can’t speak too in-depth about it. Competition up there right now. I think it’s a lot of money. See how he does.”
That “money” could mean a lot of things, but they are all related to Watson.
He is on a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract. The Browns would incur a $40 million dead cap hit by cutting him, and that is not the “worst thing.”
“The team has barely accounted for half of it from a salary-cap standpoint. If Cleveland cuts him before the season, it would result in $127 million in dead money, which is money that counts against the salary cap from a player no longer under contract,” Fox Sports’ Greg Auman wrote on August 23.
“It would cost the Browns $41 million this year and $86 million in 2027 to cut Watson before this season. Cleveland doesn’t even have $41 million in cap space right now, so it would take reworking other contracts, at the expense of future cap space, just to be done with Watson.”
Former NFL executive Andrew Brandt also weighed in.
Brandt is a former agent and was the vice president of the Green Bay Packers from 1999 to 2008, giving him an inside perspective on how contracts can hinder teams.
“As I’ve said many times, he may have the only contract in NFL history that has been, and still is, uncuttable and untradeable,” Brandt posted on X on August 27. “Whether he plays or not, he’s not going anywhere.”
While Watt did not say what Brandt did, his logic applies in much the same way.
The Browns are hoping to see some payoff on their investment, which ownership has admitted was a bust, amid heavy scrutiny and criticism.
J.J. Watt Praises Current Texans
GettyJ.J. Watt is high on the 2026 Texans.
Watson aside, Watt had nothing but good things to say about the current team, noting how good Will Anderson Jr. already is, plust the benefits of him playing alongside Danielle Hunter and having Jadeveon Clowney back in the room.
Clowney and Watt were teammates from 2014 through 2018.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, Watt’s teammate during the 2011 season whom he also praised, said he appreciated having the legend in camp to share his wealth of knowledge.
Again, Watt covered plenty of positivity around Texans camp, all of which helped underscore the lack thereof in his remarks about Watson, who apologized for his blowup calling out fans for booing him during the Browns’ loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 2 of the preseason.
J.J. Watt Gets ‘Completely Honest’ About Former Texans Teammate Deshaun Watson