Whether you want to say that the NFL salary cap isn’t real or that teams just kick the can down the road more or, like Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry does, that the salary cap is just an accounting tool, the Browns are always active in making moves around their cap. The contract given to QB Deshaun Watson will always lead the conversation around Cleveland’s cap, and led the NFL to attempt to collude at one point in time.
Technically, Watson and the Browns agreed to a new contract last year, and Berry
has restructured Watson’s deal a few times to provide the team with more salary cap space in consecutive years. There is a chance that Cleveland is in line for salary cap relief based on insurance claims on Watson’s contract as well.
The Browns were close to being or already cap compliant with the league’s $22 million increase. As expected, and noted previously here on DBN, Berry took advantage of another Watson restructure heading into the 2026 NFL offseason to create even more cap space:
As noted by cap expert Jack Duffin, restructuring Watson’s contract regularly actually lessens the percent of his overall cap hit while still paying him and costing against the cap $230 million:
By restructuring the deal each year the same $230m costs you 12.71% less of salary cap by spreading out these cap hits. The key thing to remember with the restructure, you don’t have to spend that money now, everything created is going to be rolled into next year. Which in turn creates natural flexibility and is the key framework of their spending philosophy, read more on it here: Understanding The Cleveland Browns Spending Philosophy & Why It Is Sustainable
Near the end of last year, it was reported that the Browns planned to have Watson as a part of the 2026 roster. With new HC Todd Monken in place, it is possible that Watson will get a shot to compete for the starting job, along with Shedeur Sanders and any other additions to the quarterback room.
According to the NFLPA, Cleveland has around $20 million in salary cap space to rollover for this year. According to Over the Cap, the Watson restructure would give Berry around $20 million in cap space to spend at the start of free agency. As noted, a number of other contract restructures and post-June 1st cuts could push that number significantly higher.
