The Deshaun Watson trade to the Cleveland Browns has been regarded as the worst trade in NFL history. Three first-round picks and $230 million guaranteed down the drain, and nothing to show for it, as since arriving in Cleveland, Watson has faced legal issues and injuries. When the Browns named Watson the starter, the NFL world was stunned, but was it a long-term decision?
Michael Ginnitti, co-founder and editor at Sportac, went through some of the details of Watson's contract, and the Browns can avoid the poison pill that is on the horizon by starting Watson. If Watson is on the roster on March 13th, 2027, he is set to get $200 million guaranteed. The idea behind starting Watson is that his play can drive him out of Cleveland, and if the franchise
cuts him post 6/1 release before 3/13, it splits the remaining dead cap in two: $34.6 million in 2027 and $51.5 million in 2028.
Deshaun Watson's contract contains a built-in poison pill.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) August 24, 2026
If he's on the roster next March 13th, a $200M salary guarantee kicks in.
This affords Cleveland the opportunity to designate him a Post 6/1 release before 3/13, which splits the remaining dead cap into:
2027: $34.6M…
Would carrying that much dead cap be ideal for a team that is gathering the right building blocks for its franchise? No. However, the Browns should find themselves in the hunt for a top quarterback prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft, and having a quarterback on a rookie deal certainly eases some of that pain.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns can avoid a 'poison pill' in Deshaun Watson's contract
