The Deshaun Watson era has not gone according to plan in Cleveland, to say the very least. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has gone as far as publicly calling the Watson acquisition a “big swing-and-miss.” 
During his latest media appearance, however, Haslam struck a different tone regarding the team’s quarterback situation. Haslam spoke with reporters at the league meeting, leaving the door open to Watson returning to the QB1 gig for 2026. Having healed from two Achilles tears, the former Texans Pro Bowler is positioned to compete with Shedeur Sanders for the starting spot.
“Deshaun has a great chance, fresh start, offensive-minded coach, who has in his past been able to work with all kinds of different quarterbacks and make them successful,” Haslam said (via ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi). “So, Deshaun has a great chance to do that now. We talked to him the other day, he said he weighs the [least] he has in several years… Let’s see what Deshaun can do. We’re all excited.”
Earlier this month, the Browns continued their annual tradition of restructuring Watson’s fully guaranteed contract. The 30-year-old’s cap hit for this season was reduced once more as a result, but a dead money charge of $86.2MM looms. Cleveland is in position to make Watson a post-June 1 release next spring, spreading that money out across the 2027 and ’28 seasons. In the meantime, he will look to post a healthy campaign and at least provide some value to the Browns.
Due to injuries and the personal conduct suspension which began his Browns tenure, Watson has only played 19 games with his second career team. That figure could increase depending on how things play out in training camp. Sanders took over the QB1 role late in his rookie season, and he and fellow 2025 draftee Dillon Gabriel are on the roster at this point. Another passer could be added during April’s draft, something which could leave Cleveland with a logjam under center for the second summer in a row.
Across the board, Watson’s production in Cleveland has fallen well short of his peak years in Houston. The former first-rounder will not be expected to return to his previous form in 2026 provided he finds himself on the field, given his missed time and struggles to date as a member of the Browns. Nevertheless, the potential for a return to starting duties will be something to monitor through the summer.
Wasn’t Haslam a minority owner w/ the Steelers? Didn’t he see how a successful franchise is run?
Thank God he was only a minority owner here.
Must be nice to be rich and able to buy into NFL teams that always super appreciate in value.
He still considers himself a minority owner.
I’d understand if fans wanted him gone. But if Watson reverts back to his previous form, they might be able to dump him without a 100% write-down.
If they don’t start, take the biggest hit possible as soon as possible.
The best case scenario is they cut him next June and get another team to pick him up at the league minimum salary (that’s the only relief they’ll get). Trade partners will be nonexistent even if he looks somewhat salvageable.
“Unpunished fraudster talks about serial sex offender” would also be a fine headline.
If the worst parts of your life define who you are, what would your headline be???
“Let he who has not settled two dozen sexual misconduct accusations cast the first stone.”
That’s a bold admission there Oooof!
lol
Likely not as bad as yours, given that you decided to take time out of your day to defend these two…for some reason.
Nothing says tanking season like starting a sunk cost at quarterback.
Is there a better example than Watson that shows fully guaranteed contracts are a bad idea?
Anthony Rendon.
Watson had dozens of sexual misconduct allegations, multiple ACL tears, and hadn’t played in a full year. Giving him full guarantees (at an unprecedented number) was far worse than giving them to a normal top of the market player.
What worse was both trading for AND paying him like he was a free agent. It should be one or the other. If you get a great player at a reasonable $$$ number, then you have to give up picks. But if you are going to pay him like a free agent, you might as well sign a FA.
Theoretically, but good established quarterbacks in their prime very, very rarely hit free agency.
Shedeur Sanders will easily beat him out in camp….in 2024 when healthy, Watson was the worse QB in football and looked awful….nothings fixing that , 2 yrs later and two Achilles tears….sorry Jimmy….just roll with Shedeur…we’re good 👍🏼
Roflmao 😂
But wasn’t Sanders the worst QB in FB last year, his PB nomination notwithstanding?
Sanders was the worst starting QB in the NFL last season…Watson is way better than him.
You obviously haven’t watched Watson play huh
There’s no denying that Watson in Cleveland has been somebody who couldn’t even carry the jock strap of Houston Watson. It’s been hard to watch as a fan of NFL football.
Tracenv
You obviously haven’t watched Watson play huh
=================
Have you watched Sanders play?
If there was a hypothetical bet where both Watson & Sanders played 8 games each, I’d make a decent-sized wager that Watson puts up better numbers.
Would not be shocked to see Watson, on the cusp of getting dumped, miraculously become the QB the Browns thought they signed.
Seems some players suddenly become ‘players’ or ‘get healthy’ in the last year of a contract to impact future earnings.
Miracle cures have been in vogue for a few years.
Watson’s money is fully guaranteed so I expect he will always find a way to stay “unhealthy”. The prospect of success can sometimes be a motivator but we’re taking about the Browns… so he really has no incentive to accomplish anything.
Agree 100%. Now that’s he sitting on $230M, why play?
Maybe $138M after taxes and agent fees. Lawyers probably eating up some of that, and how many lawsuits?
I have ZERO idea how that poor man can squeak by on $138M…
I laughed out loud
How will he feed his family?
How much of that $138M is left after he settled 27 lawsuits against him? I’m sure he has money, but how much does he keep, given his past behavior?
God I hope not! As a Browns fan of 50 yrs this year! I want a normal QB situation…please Mr Haslam…let Berry and Monken handle the QB .. NOT U
I wish Watson would just go away permanently already
Oh me too!
Really, that’s all Cleveland can hope for. Watson can at least give them some value on that deal. I mean, he’s being paid and taking up a roster spot. If he legitimately loses to Sanders on a football basis, the entire trade will somehow have found a way to get that much worse.
I actually chuckled at the “the entire trade will somehow have found a way to get that much worse.”. Is that even possible at this point?
It’s funny because I never would’ve even considered this a possibility but with a head coach like Monken, it really is possible DeShaun could look halfway decent in Cleveland.
People forget how good he really was with Houston. If the sexual assault allegations never happen, he probably doesn’t even get traded by the Texans but if he had then almost every team in the league would have done that deal in a heartbeat.
If the Browns get even half of that player, they make the playoffs easily. Monken is probably the only coach who could make that happen, if anybody can.
I doubt it will happen but it’s at least interesting to consider the possibility.
Houstonw was six years and multiple injuries ago. He’s also had a horrible time avoiding sacks, even when Cleveland had a very good line and a receiver or two. Now they’ve got a dicey line of guys who’ve never played together and a shoddy pass catching group. Some kind of rebound is remotely possible, but a hot mess is much more likely.
#notimportant-I agree. If the Browns had a good prospect, I’d be more tempted to move on and bite the bullet. Given how bad Gabriel and Sanders looked, they might be better off starting Watson, hope he does something, and see if they can dump him without paying the full freight.
Even if someone wanted to trade for Watson (doubtful), it would be functionally impossible for Cleveland.
When your QB room includes Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, and even with Deshaun missing a couple of seasons, the decision is elementary, my dear Watson (as Sherlock Holmes would say).
sell the team. please.
I miss Houston version of Watson when people were saying how hes the new Russell Wilson, then the browns and massage parlors ruined that
Always reminded me of Culpepper.