When the Cleveland Browns traded for Deshaun Watson in March 2022, the organization believed they had their starting quarterback of the future. However, Watson’s tenure in Cleveland has been a disaster.
Browns GM Address Deshaun Watson’s Future
#Browns Andrew Berry declines to address the future of Deshaun Watson: pic.twitter.com/nnNCuTpuVO
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) November 6, 2024
During a press conference on Thursday, Browns general manager Andrew Berry addressed Watson’s future in Cleveland. In his answer, Berry refused to commit to Watson as the team’s starting quarterback in 2025.
“Really our focus with Deshaun — I would say, for any player with a season-ending injury and a major injury — is first and foremost with the recovery and to make sure he gets healthy from the Achilles injury,” Berry said (via Mary Kay Cabot). “Everything else we’ll deal with at a later moment.”
Watson suffered a season-ending torn Achilles injury in Week 7.
Before the injury, Watson was playing like one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Watson had the lowest Total QBR of any qualified passer.
Before the injury, Watson posted the lowest Total QBR of any qualified passer in the NFL. The Browns were 1-5 in Watson’s six starts before the Achilles injury and didn’t reach 20 points in any of those games.
Watson’s 2024 campaign: 1,148 yards passing, five touchdowns, and three interceptions with a 22.4 QBR. The Browns were 1-5 in Watson’s six starts, and the team never surpassed 20 points.
Deshaun Watson Contract
#Browns general manager Andrew Berry won't second-guess himself about trading for Deshaun Watson in 2022. Nor will he talk about next season. pic.twitter.com/WkQTr6eCY2
— Jeff Schudel (@jsproinsider) November 6, 2024
Watson is in the third year of his five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract.
Watson’s cap hits in 2025 and 2026 are $72.9 million each. If the Browns part ways with Watson, it will be a dead cap hit of $172 million in 2025 and $99 million in 2026.
Does Berry regret signing Watson for the most guaranteed money in NFL history?
“I’m really not in reflection mode,” Berry explained when asked about the Watson trade. “I think that’s probably. … I remember I got asked this about [Joshua] Dobbs last year. It’s really more not really my focus at this point in the year. Our focus is really on finishing out the 2024 season, having the team play at a higher level and then we’ll get to those maybe longer-term or big-picture reflections at a later point in time.”
The Browns (2-6) are on a bye in Week 10.
