The Houston Texans took a road less traveled in the NFL in 2021 when they decided to roster their disgruntled starting quarterback for the entire season.
No doubt a trade request shortly after the hiring of general manager Nick Caserio, and an onslaught of sexual assault allegations, made dealing away the reigning NFL passing champion difficult.
The 2022 season was going to be difficult on the Texans’ passing game. Even if the Texans dealt away their starter, it meant going with inexperience under center for an entire 17-game slate. At least in the year prior Tyrod Taylor was slated to be the starter before injuries compelled rookie Davis Mills to start 11 games.
With the haul of draft picks obtained in the deal with the Cleveland Browns that helped Houston’s great reset at quarterback, the Texans were able to adequately address the situation in the 2023 NFL draft. C.J. Stroud has validated the organization’s approach to rebuilding under center, and it only took six games.
The Browns have had just 10 starts from the former Texans 2017 first-round pick, and it doesn’t seem to be a situation that is tenable long-term.
According to Cody Benjamin from CBS Sports, the Browns are on the hook for a long while with their presumptive franchise quarterback. There can’t just be one season of hardship; the Browns may be looking at two.
The short answer is: not yet. If the Browns were to outright release Watson after 2023, per Over the Cap, they’d instantly lose $136.9 million, or roughly 53% of the entire projected 2024 salary cap. That cannot and will not happen. Even if they were to designate him a post-June 1 cut, the net loss would be $92M — also unfathomable. Barring a restructure on Watson’s end (which seems highly unlikely, considering his representation specifically negotiated a fully guaranteed deal that even included workarounds for his 2022 suspension), the soonest the Browns could cut the QB without losing tens of millions is 2026, the final year of his deal.
The Texans were patient and able to land Stroud. With Houston having their future on a rookie contract, it only makes a return to competing for the AFC South that much easier.
