Although the quarterback deshaun watson Unlikely to play this season cleveland browns League sources told ESPN that plans are being made to add him to their roster next season.
The Browns opened the practice window for Watson on Wednesday, but they did so to give him his first practice this season so he won’t be away from football until next spring.
They still plan to take a detailed look at both of their rookie quarterbacks, shadure sanders And dillon gabrielSanders will start his third NFL game on Sunday tennessee titansAnd Gabriel played in the first half of the season. In an ideal world, the Browns would play as a rookie this season and get as many reps as possible.
Cleveland’s goal has always been to take a detailed look at its quarterback to see what he has, especially ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft in which two first-round selections are currently slated.
There are several reasons why the team is expecting Watson to return next season, with money also being a factor. Moving on from him would be costly, as the Browns would incur a dead salary cap charge of approximately $135 million if they released him before June 1 and a cap charge of $53 million if he was designated cap casualty after June 1.
There is a record of dead cap money denver broncos with Russell Wilson At $85 million that was divided into $53 million and $32 million fees over two years. Parting ways with Watson could cost Cleveland dearly.
Anyway, Watson’s salary cap charge in 2026 is $81.7 million, which would be the highest number in NFL history.
The Browns believe Watson has contributed to their quarterback room and provided a veteran presence that is valuable to their rookie quarterback. This is another reason why he was back at practice last week and is expected to be back with the team next season.
