“There’s a strong chance Watson has played his final game as a Brown.” That’s what Dan Graziano of ESPN had to say about the Browns‘ ongoing quarterback situation. The QB situation for some teams in the league is pretty tense -like a David Fincher film. All of them remain stuck in this Panic Room, where everyone wants to pick a player who could save their team. The Titans have an upper edge with the first draft pick, and later, the Browns have the second. So, Kevin Stefanski is also looking for a QB after losing hope in Deshaun Watson. And it looks like the Browns are also going to the veteran QB passage. 

Are they also behind the same veterans as the other teams? Well, not exactly. The Browns are exploring their veteran QB options, from Atlanta to New York. That’s right! According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, “Kirk Cousins, Daniel Jones, and Carson Wentz are names to watch as veteran QB options for the Browns.”

Kevin’s team also has the No. 2 draft pick this year, with Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders as options -both young QBs full of potential. And if they pick Sanders, they might ruin the Giants‘ plans of drafting Colorado’s young star and pairing him with a veteran QB.

Coach Kevin Stefanski met both Sanders and Ward at the NFL Combine. Talking about them, he shared, “Shedeur is a very, very impressive young man. He was raised the right way. Obviously, he’s a heckuva football player -that’s evident off the tape. But I was impressed with the person.” Sanders has been playing for the Colorado Buffaloes for a year. The 23-year-old earned the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honor this season. With 4134 passing yards, the guy’s destined to be great!

As for Cam, the Browns HC added, “Very, very impressed with Cam as well… He knows football well.” So, now that the team is exploring a new QB option, where does Deshaun Watson fit into the picture?

Is Deshaun Watson’s time with the Browns up?

The kind of claims against Deshaun Watson make it a wonder how he is still in the league. In March 2021, a massage therapist filed a lawsuit against Watson, accusing him of s—– misconduct. By April 2022, the number had risen to 22. Despite the issues, the Browns signed the former Texans QB to a $230 million deal. The team continues to face backlash for their decision to this day.

Watson’s first season with the team saw him post a career-low passer rating of 79.1. The following season, he broke a bone in his throwing shoulder. He suffered an Achilles tear during Week 7 of this season, causing him to miss the entire campaign. Talk about being unlucky!

Now the team is in a pickle with his contract situation. Cleveland still owes Watson $92 million over the next two seasons, and because his contract is fully guaranteed, they have no other option except to pay him -no matter if he plays or not, or if he stays or not.

That’s where the genuine issue comes in when they aim to draft a new quarterback. They have Watson, whom they will have to pay a hefty amount. And if they are looking to draft a new QB, the team will have to pay him as well.

Also, what do they do with Deshaun Watson if they move on with a new quarterback? Now, the team has two options:

• They cut him and take the financial hit.
• Second, they let his contract play out while keeping him as a backup.

If Cleveland decides to release him with a post-June 1 designation, they’ll still take a $72.9 million dead cap hit in 2026 and another $26.9 million in 2027.

And that would be like paying him for doing nothing. So, it’s better if they keep him on the roster as a backup, and maybe, then, let him go as his contract expires.