Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is recovering from the right shoulder surgery that ended his 2023 season and the hope in Cleveland is that the 2024 season is the one where the team’s investment in Watson fully pays off.
Watson has played in just 12 games since arriving in a trade with the Texans ahead of the 2022 season and signing a fully-guaranteed five-year contract with the team. That contract sets Watson up for a cap number of nearly $64 million for the 2024 season, which isn’t ideal for a team that’s currently projected to be over the cap.
There are a number of ways for General Manager Andrew Berry to change that, including a restructuring of Watson’s deal. That would push more money onto future caps, however, and Berry said from the Senior Bowl this week that he’s not ready to say if the team will utilize that path.
“I’ll be honest, I’m not there yet,” Berry said, via Zak Jackson of TheAthletic.com. “It’s not a necessity, but it just kind of depends on how we put the plan together.”
Berry avoided specifics when it came to the team’s plans, but said that they feel good about how they’re positioned heading into 2024 and the coming weeks will bring more of an idea about how they’ll set the stage for the offseason.