The Houston Texans should pay close attention to the current climate around former franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson with the Cleveland Browns. Not because Texans QB C.J. Stroud is anything like Watson.
Instead, Watson’s current situation is a reminder of what happens when plans fail to pan out and a team doubles down before righting the ship.
Watson’s tenure with the Texans encapsulates the first part. His Browns stint, the latter.
Browns Expected to Release Former Texans QB Deshaun Watson
GettyDeshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns looks on during mandatory minicamp.
The Athletic’s Zac Jackson noted the difficult situation the Browns find themselves in three years after acquiring Watson in a trade with the Texans. Moreover, the Browns dug in, giving Watson a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract.
Jackson noted that the Browns’ “only real alternative” to parting ways with Watson would be to rework his contract yet again, which only pushes the issue further into the future.
Instead, Jackson believes Watson’s release, post June 1 in 2026, is all but guaranteed.
“It seems inevitable that the Browns will officially cut ties with a post-June 1 designation early next year, which would put his dead-money number for 2026 in the range of $70 million to $80 million after whatever insurance credit the team receives,” Jackson wrote in an article published on November 13.
“With the Browns still on the hook for around $135 million to Watson after this year, going the post-June 1 cut route would then leave around $50 million for 2027. The current structure of the deal calls for Watson to be on the team’s cap through 2029.”
The decision, as Jackson suggests it may be executed, would mean the Browns saddling themselves with $80 million in dead cap in 2026.
Deshaun Watson Contract Situation Informative for Texans
GettyC.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans warms up before a game against the Denver Broncos.
Many owners around the NFL lambasted the Browns for paying such an exorbitant price for Watson, who is on the PUP list, in addition to the draft capital they surrendered.
The Texans have been praised for how that deal has turned out for them in light of other blockbusters around the NFL since then. But they have their own set of massive contract negotiations upcoming with Stroud, and the roster ramifications are significant.
Stroud is in Year 3 of a four-year, $36.3 million rookie-scale contract.
The Texans also have the fifth-year option and the franchise tag (up to three times) to retain Stroud beyond his current deal’s expiration.
However, franchise QBs get paid, and the Texans believe they have that in Stroud. It would seem the only unknown is just how much Stroud will receive on his next deal and whether it would qualify as a veritable bargain.
Texans’ Financial Outlook in Focus
GettyHouston Texans general manager Nick Caserio walks the field before a game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Over The Cap has the Texans at $8.3 million in space as of November 13. Their 2026 number is $18.4 million, pending future dealings. That would leave them in a tight situation to pay Stroud and still manage to upgrade the roster as necessary.
The Texans have done well to draft, including utilizing the capital they received in the trade sending Watson to the Browns.
Still, as Stroud nears extension eligibility, the Texans’ roster-building strategy matters more.
General manager Nick Caserio has been the architect of the current group, and it has led to back-to-back AFC South titles. The Texans sit third in the division this season, and they were that before Stroud’s injury.
The Texans surely do not want to end up where the Browns are, and paying Stroud an amount that is in line with Watson’s deal when he signed it could prove disastrous.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Former Texans QB Deshaun Watson Expected to Receive Final Decision appeared first on Heavy Sports.