Dec 17, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) slaps hands with fans following the win against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns
(New York, NY) — Just one year after Deshaun Watson received an NFL-record $230 million fully guaranteed, the Cleveland Brown have made a drastic change.
According to beat writer Mary Kay Cabot, the team has restructured Watson’s $46 million base salary to clear $36 million in cap space. It was reported last week that 27-year-old would be willing to shuffle his deal if it meant freeing up cap space to sign veterans in free agency.
Watson went 3-3 across six starts last season, compiling seven touchdowns and 183 yards per game. This is a far-fetch from the 33 touchdowns and 301 YPC he averaged with the Houston Texans in 2021.
Cleveland was roughly $14 million over the salary cap and needed to get under it before the official start of free agency on March 15. The Browns have now created $22.3 million in available spending, which ranks 16th in the NFL.
One name to keep an eye on is former Bengals safety Jeesie Bates, who the Browns have been heavily linked to. The 26-year old has averaged 95 tackles over his first five seasons in Cincinnati.
