Deshaun Watson is getting paid like an elite quarterback. Will he start playing like an elite quarterback soon?
The Browns don't necessarily need Watson to be the player he was at his peak to be the team they want to be, considering the talent on their roster. They won 11 games despite four different quarterbacks starting games last season, including just six starts from Watson.
For what Cleveland invested in Watson, though, it's starting to feel like it's now or never for the former Texans quarterback to live up to his billing.
For Watson, the contract has served its purpose. His future with the Browns might have been in question after an injury-prone 2023, during which he was inconsistent when on the field. Because of what Cleveland is paying him, however, there was nothing the franchise could do but hope 2024 is the year Watson rounds back into form after three years defined by grievances, a suspension and injuries.
Here's a look at Watson's mega contract and how little it's paid off for the Browns to this point.
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Deshaun Watson contract details
Watson signed a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract extension after he was traded to the Browns in 2022. The deal runs through 2026.
Cleveland's decision to give Watson a fully guaranteed deal, which was unprecedented for a contract longer than three years, sent shockwaves through the NFL and led many to wonder whether other high-end quarterback deals would be fully guaranteed going forward.
Despite Lamar Jackson reportedly seeking a fully guaranteed deal, that hasn't come to fruition around the league. Watson remains in a class of his own as it relates to guarantees, which is striking considering he hasn't played anything like a top-tier quarterback since the trade.
Watson has the NFL's highest cap hit for 2024 at $63.8 million, but his deal doesn't make him the highest-paid quarterback in terms of average value. In fact, Watson is all the way down to 10th in the league at $46 million. All nine quarterbacks ranked above him have signed extensions more recently.
One vintage season from Watson could change the way his contract is viewed, but the Browns simply haven't gotten their money's worth yet. Here's a look at Watson's contract by the numbers so far.
Deshaun Watson contract, by the numbers
Watson makes an average of $46 million per year, which is quite a bit for a player with only 14 touchdowns through the first two seasons.
Over two seasons ($92 million), that equates to the following:
- $6.6 million per touchdown pass
- $7.7 million per start
- $11.5 million per win
- $450,980 per completion
- $47,498 per yard
There is one caveat to those numbers. The cap hit on Watson's contract is heavily backloaded, so the Browns didn't absorb a heavy blow to their books from Watson's deal in either of the last two seasons. Watson's cap hit was just $9.4 million in 2022 and $19.1 million in 2023, but it will sit just under $64 million each year through 2026.
Watson was, however, getting paid what his contract says he was getting paid. He made $45.4 million in 2022 and $46 million in 2023 entirely via bonuses, right in line with the average annual value on his deal.
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Highest-paid NFL quarterbacks
| QB | Average salary | Team |
| Joe Burrow | $55 million | Bengals |
| Jordan Love | $55 milion | Packers |
| Trevor Lawrence | $55 million | Jaguars |
| Tua Tagovailoa | $53.1 million | Dolphins |
| Jared Goff | $53 million | Lions |
| Justin Herbert | $52.5 million | Chargers |
| Lamar Jackson | $52 million | Ravens |
| Jalen Hurts | $51 million | Eagles |
| Kyler Murray | $46.1 million | Cardinals |
| Deshaun Watson | $46 million | Browns |
| Kirk Cousins | $45 million | Falcons |
| Patrick Mahomes | $45 million | Chiefs |
| Josh Allen | $43 million | Bills |
| Dak Prescott | $40 million | Cowboys |
| Daniel Jones | $40 million | Giants |
| Matthew Stafford | $40 million | Rams |
