Why the Cleveland Browns Might Say Goodbye to Deshaun Watson

The Cleveland Browns are having a tough season, and quarterback Deshaun Watson isn't helping. With a massive $230 million contract, expectations were high, but Watson's performance hasn’t met those standards. The Browns are last in offense, and Watson’s been sacked 26 times in the last 5 games, with a passer rating of 74.8, worse than some other QBs.

Nick Wright, a sports analyst, suggests the Browns find a way out. Trading or releasing Watson would be costly due to dead cap implications. Next year, the Browns might find a team with cap space to take Watson off their books, reducing the dead cap hit from $200.7 million to $172.7 million. Wright proposes trading Watson for very little in return. Off-field issues, like the 23 settled lawsuits, aren’t helping Watson’s case. His latest settlement involved a Houston-based woman accusing him of inappropriate behavior. Despite these issues, Watson isn’t on the exempt list and can continue playing. Coach Stefanski is in a tough spot, having traded six picks for Watson, who's started only 17 games.

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