Deshaun Watson's 2025 season is more uncertain than ever, which could lead to salary cap relief and a roster release in 2026. (Associated Press)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
A second surgery on Deshaun Watson’s right Achilles tendon rupture certainly is a setback for him.
But not necessarily for the Browns.
The club confirmed that Watson underwent a second surgery on Thursday to repair another rupture of the Achilles, which originally was repaired on October 25. Dr. Bob Anderson, a foot and ankle specialist in Charlotte, NC, performed both surgeries.
Watson has now had two different shoulder injuries, which required one combined surgery, and two ruptured Achilles and surgeries in the last two years.
How did the latest setback happen?
“Earlier this week, when Watson reported to the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus for his exit physical as part of the Browns' season-ending process, he complained of discomfort after rolling his ankle in Miami,” the Browns said in a statement.
It is unclear whether Watson rolled his ankle while under medical supervision doing rehab or if it was unrelated to rehab. The statement did not specify the circumstances. Neither did GM Andrew Berry when he first related news of a setback on Monday.
In any case, the statement concluded, “Watson’s recovery time and return to play status is uncertain, and he will likely miss significant time during the 2025 season.”
All of this happened, coincidentally or not, after the Browns recently added new “dummy years” to the back of Watson’s contract, ostensibly to reduce Watson’s dead salary cap charges after his contract is terminated.
Mike Ginnitti, founder and managing director of Spotrac, has proposed a pathway for the Browns to extricate the albatross that Watson has become. Ginnitti speculated the Browns could do another salary-to-bonus conversion with Watson this year to reduce his $72.9 million cap figure to $37 million. Then they might designate Watson a post-June 1 release in March of 2026, which would result in salary cap charges of $46 million in 2026 and $89.5 million in 2027.
Under this scenario, Watson would be off the roster in 2026 and off the salary cap rolls after 2027.
Further, the Browns reportedly purchased insurance to cover about $44 million of Watson's scheduled base salary of $46 million in 2025. If he doesn’t play in 2025, they would receive salary cap relief for the insured amount in 2026.
All of which would makes it clearer for the Browns to rebuild their quarterback room and separate from Watson after the 2025 season.
“There’s no such thing as a riskless transaction,” Berry said on Monday, looking back at the expensive trade for Watson in 2022. “And one thing that we always do, want to do, is really protect our downside as much as you can.
"And we will be positioned moving forward both from a cap perspective and -- I hate how we got here, but -- with having the second pick in the draft, whether we select a player or use it to maximize in another way, it gives us an opportunity to really pivot if we need to.”
In other words, the finish line is now in sight.