Deshaun Watson's five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract will expire next spring.
One NFL analyst thinks Deshaun Watson being on the Cleveland Browns in 2027 could happen.
Watson's five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract will expire next spring, but Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report believes there's a scenario where the Browns and Watson continue their partnership in 2027.
"Here's the thing, though. What if Watson not only wins the starting job in Cleveland but also goes out and plays relatively well? What if the Browns could get a quarterback on a below-market deal next year? What if the team wins enough games that a high-end rookie at the position is off the table? Would Cleveland dare re-sign a player who is loathed by most of the fanbase? It sounds far-fetched, but given this franchise's history, it cannot be ruled out entirely," Davenport wrote.
Watson has 3,365 passing yards and 19 passing touchdowns with Cleveland. He's thrown 12 interceptions.
Since making his Browns debut, Watson has posted a 33.1 Total QBR, the lowest among qualified passers. The odds of the former Houston Texans star turning back the clock after an Achilles tear are pretty low, which is why many NFL pundits believe Cleveland should start Shedeur Sanders so the team can fully evaluate him for an entire season.
Many Cleveland fans want Sanders to start because Watson has been horrendous since getting traded to the Browns. He also dealt with off-the-field stuff.
When Watson tore his Achilles in 2024, Browns fans cheered. That should tell you everything about how Cleveland fans regard Watson.
Some people in the NFL believe the Browns are best suited to be putrid again in 2026 so that they can get a top pick in 2027 and select Arch Manning or Dante Moore. Let's see what happens.
The Browns will use training camp and the preseason to determine who will start Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It will be fascinating to see who wins between Sanders and Watson.
Sanders finished his rookie season with 1,400 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 169 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. He went 3-4 as a starter.
