NFL teams love playing financial gymnastics, but the Browns might’ve just taken it to a whole new level. Every offseason, front offices finesse the salary cap, shifting money around like it’s Monopoly cash. But Cleveland’s latest move? Straight-up risky business. This could either set them up for a legitimate Super Bowl run or leave them with a financial mess down the road.

The Browns just restructured Deshaun Watson’s already insane contract, freeing up nearly $36M in cap space for 2025, per ESPN’s Field Yates. And let’s be real—this isn’t just some routine paperwork. It’s a massive gamble on a QB who, so far, hasn’t exactly been that guy. Watson’s original five-year, fully guaranteed $230M deal in 2022 was already one of the craziest contracts in NFL history. Now, by pushing more of his cap hit into the future, the Browns are saying, ‘We’re tryna win NOW,’ even if future Cleveland has to deal with the consequences.

So, how’d they do it? Basically, the team converted a chunk of Watson’s $46M salary for 2025 into a signing bonus and tacked on two void years, spreading out the cap hit until 2030. This is classic ‘kick the can down the road‘ energy—it works great if they make a deep playoff run, but if things go south? Yikes.

And let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Watson has not lived up to the hype, as he struggled between injuries and got an 11-game suspension in 2022. He’s only played 19 games for Cleveland, with an 80.7 passer rating that’s straight-up mid compared to his prime Texans days. The Browns threw him a historic bag, expecting elite QB1 energy, but so far, it’s been more ‘wait and see‘ than actual results.

Cleveland’s not the only team pulling these cap stunts, though. The Cowboys just finessed Dak Prescott’s deal, turning $45.75 million of his $47.75M salary into a bonus to free up $36.6M in cap space. The Saints and Chiefs have also played this game before to stay competitive. It’s high-risk, high-reward—but only if the QB actually delivers.

Despite all this, the Browns are still riding for Watson. With this extra cap space, they can lock in key players, beef up the O-line, or snag some playmakers in free agency. Their defense carried them last season, and now they have the money to keep the squad stacked.

At the end of the day, the Browns just went all in on Watson. If he finally proves he was worth the bag, this move will look genius. But if he keeps struggling? This contract is gonna haunt them for years. Either way, they’re locked in—and there’s no turning back now. The Browns are in their flop era when it comes to cap space, and now they’re out here scouting Shedeur Sanders like he’s the answer to all their problems.

Browns are thirsty for Shedeur Sanders, and it’s kinda obvious

Browns have held multiple meetings with Shedeur, including a top-30 visit, which basically screams, ‘we’re looking for a new QB.’ And honestly? Given their financial mess and Deshaun Watson’s meh performance, it makes total sense.

Cleveland’s money situation is straight-up tragic. They’re sitting at $353.8M in total cap liabilities for 2025 and are already $23.2M over the cap—which is giving max broke boy energy. They restructured Watson’s contract to create some breathing room, but let’s be real, they’re just delaying the inevitable. Drafting a young QB on a cheap rookie deal could be their only way out of this financial disaster.

Their interest in Shedeur isn’t just a casual crush. They first linked up with him at the East-West Shrine Bowl in January, and now they’ve brought him in for a top-30 visit. That’s not just a ‘let’s chat‘ moment—that’s serious energy. Plus, they’ve got the No. 2 overall pick, which means they actually have a shot at making this happen.

And let’s not forget about the Watson situation. The man just had Achilles’ surgery, and there’s no telling if he’ll ever be that guy again. On top of that, Jameis Winston could dip in free agency, which means the Browns are staring at a whole lot of uncertainty at QB. If they’re even thinking about moving on from Watson, Shedeur might be their best bet.

Bottom line? The Browns are desperate, and it’s showing. Their cap is a mess, Deshaun Watson’s future is up in the air, and they’re out here eyeing Shedeur like he’s their saving grace. Whether they actually pull the trigger on drafting him is TBD, but one thing’s for sure—they’re not acting like a team that’s fully locked in on Watson anymore.