Deshaun Watson expected to be on Browns’ roster next season: Source

By Alex Valdes, Zac Jackson and Dianna Russini

The Cleveland Browns are expecting to have quarterback Deshaun Watson, who’s unlikely to play this season as he’s recovering from a second Achilles tendon tear, on the roster next season, a league source told The Athletic on Sunday.

Watson has not played in a game since tearing his Achilles on Oct. 20, 2024, against the Cincinnati Bengals. In early January, the team said Watson tore his Achilles tendon again.

On Wednesday, the Browns opened the practice window for Watson so that the 30-year-old would be able to get in some work this season. Otherwise, he would have to wait until spring to work out with the team.

The Browns have cap issues because of the quarterback, who is 9-10 as a starter since joining the team in 2022. If Cleveland were to cut him before June 1, it would have a dead salary cap charge of about $135 million. Watson’s 2026 cap number is set at $80.7 million. If the Browns keep Watson, they will likely rework his contract to potentially cut that amount in half and push the rest forward, as they have done previously.

Watson faced legal action 25 times over allegations of sexual assault and misconduct from 2022 to 2024, and he has settled 23 lawsuits. He was never charged criminally throughout the allegations.

The NFL investigated the allegations and suspended Watson for 11 games in 2022.

The Browns have options at quarterback after this season. They have looked at rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Gabriel has a 1-5 record with seven touchdowns, two interceptions and an 80.8 passer rating. Sanders, the team’s current starter, has gone 1-1 with two TDs, two INTs and a 69.4 rating.

Cleveland (3-9) also has two first-round draft picks in 2026.