When the Cleveland Browns traded for Deshaun Watson in 2022, and signed him to a fully guaranteed five-year deal worth $230 million, it was immediately viewed as a polarizing move. Unfortunately for the Browns, the move ultimately unfolded into a nightmare, as a suspension, injuries, and poor play have kept Watson from being the franchise-changing quarterback Cleveland hoped he would be.
Now, in 2026, Watson is entering the final season of that contract, and Browns fans are looking forward to finally getting off the disastrous ride. However, there’s no guarantee that the veteran quarterback won’t be on Cleveland’s roster beyond the 2026 season. Browns general manager Andrew Berry recently made that clear.
Speaking with media members on Sunday at the NFL’s annual meetings, Berry admitted that Cleveland isn’t against extending Watson if he finds his way onto the field and plays well in 2026.
Andrew Berry says Browns aren’t against a Deshaun Watson extension if he plays well
Berry said “time horizon factors” go into every decision, like with any veteran player, but was adamant that “there's no rule against extending the player's contract if they perform and they do well.”
While Cleveland has a lot of problems, Watson’s current contract has been one of their biggest. The veteran QB’s cap hit has significantly affected the team, and will continue to do so after 2026 — even if he isn’t on the roster. In exchange for his massive cap hits, all Watson has been able to give the Browns on the field is 19 games, a 9-10 record, 3,365 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 465 rushing yards, and three additional touchdowns.
His tenure in Cleveland has been so disastrous that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has even referred to the trade as a big swing and miss, despite Watson still being on the roster. Even with that reality, the veteran quarterback is set to have a battle with Shedeur Sanders for Cleveland’s starting quarterback spot. Haslam has now changed his tune, saying Watson could go from a swing and a miss, to a home run if he can emerge as the starter.
#Browns owner Jimmy Haslam believes it’s possible for Deshaun Watson to go from “a swing and a miss” to a home run if he starts this year.
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) March 30, 2026
While Sanders winning the competition would be the best-case scenario for the Browns, for multiple reasons, one of those reasons is that Cleveland wouldn’t have to entertain giving Watson another contract. However, Andrew Berry doesn’t seem vehemently against the idea of a possible Watson extension.
Of course, this could just be offseason general manager talk, where GMs rarely commit to anything and leave the door open on everything. Browns fans certainly hope that’s the case, because it would be wild for the franchise to make another big commitment to Deshaun Watson, after getting very little back from the last major investment in the quarterback.