Cleveland Browns Name Deshaun Watson Starting Quarterback Amid Contract Uncertainty

The Cleveland Browns have officially designated Deshaun Watson as their starting quarterback, despite concerns regarding his future with the team.

Watson's contract, which includes a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million deal, makes it almost certain that he will be released by March 2027. The Browns have restructured his contract multiple times, but a recent clause ensures they will not incur further financial obligations to him after that date.

If Watson performs well, he still faces release due to financial constraints, as a $200 million salary becomes guaranteed in 2029. Releasing him would result in an $86.2 million dead cap hit, the second-largest in NFL history, but the Browns plan to manage this by designating him as a post-June 1 release.