The Cleveland Browns’ decision to sign Deshaun Watson to a five-year, $230 million contract in 2021 was one of the most polarizing moves in modern NFL history. Fans and analysts still debate whether the team’s financial commitment was justified—or if it was a reckless gamble that left them stuck with a quarterback whose career trajectory shifted dramatically. Nearly three years later, the question lingers: Are the Browns still paying Deshaun Watson? The answer isn’t as straightforward as it seems. The contract’s structure, the league’s salary cap rules, and Watson’s legal troubles have created a web of financial obligations that extend beyond the obvious. Some assume the Browns cut ties entirely after Watson’s suspension and subsequent release. Others believe the team is quietly absorbing the cost while searching for a new direction. The reality sits somewhere in between—one where cap hits, deferred payments, and league-imposed penalties ensure the Browns remain financially tied to Watson long after he left the locker room. What makes the situation even murkier is how NFL contracts function. Unlike in other sports, where salaries are paid in full upfront, NFL deals are spread over multiple years with deferred payments, signing bonuses, and cap adjustments that can outlast a player’s tenure. The Browns’ contract with Watson included a $100 million signing bonus, much of which was front-loaded but still required to be paid out over time. Even after Watson was released in October 2023, the team’s cap sheet didn’t immediately reflect a clean break. The league’s salary cap accounting system means that unamortized bonuses and deferred money continue to weigh on the Browns’ financial flexibility, even if Watson is no longer on the roster. This is where the confusion begins: the team is still paying Watson, but not in the way most casual observers assume. The broader implications stretch beyond Cleveland’s balance sheet. Watson’s legal saga—including his 2023 suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy—forced the Browns to accelerate his release, but it didn’t erase the financial footprint he left behind. Other teams have faced similar scenarios, but few have had to navigate the fallout of a $230 million contract while simultaneously rebuilding through the draft. The Browns’ 2024 cap situation, for instance, remains constrained by Watson-related expenses, limiting their ability to sign free agents or restructure other contracts. Meanwhile, Watson himself has moved on to Houston, where he’s now under a four-year, $174 million deal—a contract that, ironically, carries its own set of financial strings for the Texans. The cycle of deferred money and cap hits doesn’t end with a player’s departure; it just shifts to the next team. For Cleveland, the question of whether they’re still paying Watson isn’t just about the present—it’s about how this contract will shape their financial strategy for years to come.

Common Myths About Are the Browns Still Paying Deshaun Watson

The narrative around the Browns’ financial commitment to Deshaun Watson has been distorted by oversimplifications. One persistent myth is that the team fully absorbed the $230 million and is now free of any obligations. In reality, NFL contracts don’t work that way. The $230 million figure is the total value of the deal over five years, but the way it’s structured—with signing bonuses, guaranteed money, and deferred payments—means the Browns are still on the hook for portions of that sum even after Watson’s release. Another misconception is that releasing Watson erased his contract from the cap sheet entirely. While it reduced the team’s annual cap hit, the unamortized signing bonus and other deferred amounts remain on the books, creating a lingering financial drag. Equally misleading is the idea that Watson’s legal issues voided the contract or allowed the Browns to recoup some of the money. NFL contracts are ironclad documents; suspensions or releases don’t negate the financial terms unless both parties agree to a buyout or restructuring. The Browns didn’t pursue such a move, leaving them to absorb the remaining cap hits while also dealing with the fallout of a quarterback who never lived up to the contract’s expectations. Finally, some assume that because Watson is now playing for Houston, the Browns have no further connection to his salary. This ignores how deferred payments and league accounting rules ensure that the Browns’ cap situation remains tied to Watson’s contract well into the future.

Myth 1: The Browns stopped paying Watson after his release in 2023

The release of Deshaun Watson in October 2023 didn’t mean the Browns stopped paying him. What it did was severe the team’s direct financial relationship with the quarterback, but the contract’s terms ensured that portions of the $230 million deal would continue to affect Cleveland’s finances. The key here is understanding how NFL contracts are structured. Watson’s deal included a $100 million signing bonus, which was amortized over the life of the contract. When a player is released, the unamortized portion of the signing bonus doesn’t disappear—it stays on the team’s cap sheet as a "dead money" hit. This means the Browns are still accounting for a portion of Watson’s salary in their cap calculations, even though he’s no longer on the roster. The confusion arises because the public often conflates a player’s release with the end of all financial obligations. In reality, the NFL’s salary cap system is designed to prevent teams from simply cutting contracts to manipulate their cap space. The Browns’ 2024 cap sheet still reflects the remaining unamortized bonuses from Watson’s deal, which limits their ability to sign new players or restructure existing contracts. This isn’t just about the money spent; it’s about the cap flexibility that Watson’s contract continues to restrict. Even if the Browns wanted to move on completely, the league’s rules ensure that the financial shadow of Watson lingers.

Myth 2: Watson’s legal troubles allowed the Browns to get out of the contract

Watson’s suspension and subsequent release in 2023 were the result of personal conduct policy violations, not a contractual loophole that freed the Browns from their financial commitment. NFL contracts are legally binding agreements, and unless both parties agree to a contract buyout or restructuring, the terms remain in effect. The Browns could have attempted to negotiate a buyout, but given Watson’s performance issues and the team’s desperate need for cap space, there was little incentive to absorb additional costs. Instead, they chose to release Watson and let the contract’s terms play out according to the league’s rules. The idea that Watson’s legal troubles would void the contract is a fundamental misunderstanding of how NFL agreements work. The league’s personal conduct policy deals with player behavior, not contract enforcement. Teams can’t unilaterally terminate a contract because of a player’s off-field issues unless there’s a moral clause (which Watson’s deal lacked) or mutual agreement. The Browns’ hands were tied—they could release Watson, but they couldn’t escape the cap implications of his contract. This is why the question of whether the Browns are still paying Watson isn’t just about his salary; it’s about the financial constraints his deal continues to impose on the franchise.

Myth 3: The Browns can now fully focus on their cap situation without Watson’s contract

While it’s true that Watson is no longer on the Browns’ active roster, his contract’s cap impact persists in ways that aren’t immediately obvious. The unamortized signing bonus and other deferred payments create a "dead money" hit that remains on the team’s books. This means that even though Watson isn’t drawing a weekly salary, the Browns are still accounting for portions of his contract in their cap calculations. For example, in 2024, the team’s cap sheet includes residual amounts from Watson’s deal, which reduces their available cap space for new signings or restructures. The misconception here is that releasing a player clears their entire contract from the cap. In reality, the NFL’s salary cap accounting system ensures that unamortized bonuses and deferred money continue to affect a team’s financial flexibility. This is why the Browns’ 2024 cap situation remains tighter than it would be without Watson’s contract. They’re not paying Watson’s full salary anymore, but the cap drag from his deal is still a factor in their long-term planning. This is a common oversight when discussing NFL contracts—many assume that a release means the money is gone, but the cap system is far more complex.

What Holds Up to Scrutiny

At its core, the question of whether the Browns are still paying Deshaun Watson hinges on two key facts: the structure of his contract and the NFL’s salary cap accounting rules. Watson’s deal was a five-year, $230 million contract with a $100 million signing bonus, much of which was front-loaded but still required to be paid out over time. When a player is released, the unamortized portion of the signing bonus doesn’t vanish—it becomes "dead money," meaning the team must still account for it in their cap calculations. This is why the Browns’ 2024 cap sheet still reflects the remaining financial obligations tied to Watson’s contract, even though he’s no longer on the roster. The other critical factor is how deferred payments work in the NFL. Many of Watson’s earnings were structured as deferred bonuses, meaning they weren’t paid out immediately but were spread over the life of the contract. Even after his release, some of these payments may still be due in future years, depending on the exact terms of the deal. This is why the Browns’ financial situation remains entangled with Watson’s contract—not because they’re writing checks to him directly, but because the cap system ensures that the money is still being accounted for. This is a subtle but crucial distinction that separates fact from fiction in this debate.

"NFL contracts are like financial time bombs. You think you’re done with a player when you release them, but the cap accounting system ensures that the money keeps coming—just in a different form." — Anonymous NFL front-office executive

Common Belief	What the Evidence Says
The Browns stopped paying Watson after his release.	The unamortized signing bonus and deferred payments remain on the cap sheet as "dead money."
Watson’s legal issues voided the contract.	NFL contracts are legally binding; suspensions don’t negate financial terms unless both parties agree to a buyout.
Releasing Watson freed up the Browns’ cap space completely.	The cap drag from his contract persists due to unamortized bonuses and deferred money.
The Browns can now ignore Watson’s contract.	Future cap flexibility is still limited by the remaining financial obligations tied to his deal.

Why the Confusion Persists

The persistent myths about whether the Browns are still paying Deshaun Watson stem from a fundamental misunderstanding of how NFL contracts and salary caps work. Most casual observers assume that a player’s release means the money is gone, but the league’s accounting rules ensure that unamortized bonuses and deferred payments continue to affect a team’s finances. This is compounded by the fact that NFL contracts are often misreported in the media, with headlines focusing on the total value of a deal rather than how it’s structured over time. Another reason for the confusion is the lack of transparency in NFL contract terms. While the total value of a deal (like Watson’s $230 million) is public knowledge, the breakdown of signing bonuses, deferred payments, and cap hits is rarely discussed in detail. This leaves room for speculation and oversimplification. Additionally, the emotional response to Watson’s legal issues and performance struggles has led some to assume that the Browns would have found a way to escape the contract entirely. In reality, the league’s rules make it nearly impossible to do so without mutual agreement. The result is a persistent narrative gap between what the public assumes and what the financial reality actually is.

Conclusion

The answer to whether the Browns are still paying Deshaun Watson is yes—but not in the way most people think. The team is no longer writing weekly paychecks to Watson, but the cap implications of his contract remain a significant factor in their financial planning. The unamortized signing bonus and deferred payments ensure that Cleveland’s cap sheet is still tied to Watson’s deal, limiting their ability to sign new players or restructure existing contracts. This is a common but often overlooked aspect of NFL contracts: the money doesn’t disappear when a player is released—it just changes form. For the Browns, the lingering effects of Watson’s contract are a reminder of how financial decisions in the NFL have long-term consequences. The team’s 2024 cap situation is still constrained by the deal they made in 2021, even though Watson is now playing for Houston. This isn’t just about the past—it’s about how the Browns will navigate their rebuild in the years to come. The lesson here is clear: in the NFL, contracts don’t end when players do. They evolve, adapt, and continue to shape a team’s financial future long after the ink has dried.

Comprehensive FAQs

Q: If the Browns released Deshaun Watson, why are they still paying him?

The Browns aren’t paying Watson directly in the traditional sense, but the unamortized signing bonus from his contract remains on their cap sheet as "dead money." This means the team must still account for portions of his salary in their cap calculations, even though he’s no longer on the roster. The NFL’s salary cap system ensures that deferred payments and unamortized bonuses continue to affect a team’s financial flexibility.

Q: Could the Browns have negotiated a buyout to escape Watson’s contract?

Technically, yes—but it would have required Watson’s agreement and likely come with significant financial penalties for the Browns. Given Watson’s performance struggles and the team’s need for cap space, there was little incentive to pursue a buyout. Instead, they chose to release him and let the contract’s terms play out according to the league’s rules, which meant absorbing the remaining cap hits.

Q: How does Watson’s contract still affect the Browns’ cap situation?

Even after Watson’s release, the remaining unamortized bonuses and deferred payments from his contract create a "dead money" hit on the Browns’ cap sheet. This reduces their available cap space for new signings or restructures, meaning the team’s financial flexibility is still constrained by the deal they made in 2021. This is why the Browns’ 2024 cap situation remains tighter than it would be without Watson’s contract.

Q: Will the Browns ever be completely free of Watson’s contract?

Yes, but it will take time. The unamortized portions of Watson’s signing bonus will continue to amortize over the remaining years of the contract, gradually reducing the cap hit. By the time the contract fully expires, the Browns will no longer have to account for Watson’s money on their cap sheet. However, until then, his financial footprint will continue to influence their financial decisions.

Q: Does Watson’s new contract with Houston mean the Browns are off the hook?

No. Watson’s move to Houston doesn’t relieve the Browns of their remaining financial obligations tied to his original contract. The Texans are now responsible for Watson’s new deal, but the Browns must still account for the unamortized bonuses and deferred payments from his time in Cleveland. The cap system ensures that the money doesn’t disappear—it just shifts to the next team.