The Cleveland Browns added plenty of young and cheap talent to the roster last season. They have 10 draft picks for this offseason, so money shouldn't be much of an issue to keep stacking the bricks for the future.
However, they might not have the same fortune when it comes to signing veterans. According to Over The Cap, they have only $3.2 million in available cap space. That's the 11th-fewest in the league, and they'll have to do some financial juggling to solve that.
With that in mind, they will have no choice but to try and get in Deshaun Watson's good graces again. They will need to get him on board with the idea of restructuring his contract again if they want to create some cap space.
Browns' path to cap relief in 2026 runs straight through Deshaun Watson’s contract
Per Spotrac, Watson is slated to make $46 million next season. It will be the final season of his now-infamous contract before testing free agency. By restructuring his contract, the Browns could free up $35.7 million in cap space for this offseason.
Technically, Watson doesn't have to agree to do that. He might not be fond of team owner Jimmy Haslam after he admitted that trading for him was a mistake, so he could just sit tight and collect paycheck after paycheck like he's done so far.
Then again, just like the Browns need him to play ball, he needs the Browns to save whatever's left of his market value. Helping them with the salary cap could buy him some goodwill ahead of training camp, and he'll need every edge he can get to beat out Shedeur Sanders for the starting quarterback spot.
More than that, that additional cap space would help the team make some signings. Ultimately, he'd benefit from having a better supporting cast to look good in what will most likely be his final season with the organization. It's not about winning or even about the team, but doing what's best for him will also benefit the Browns.
The Browns can also free up an additional $13.57 million by reworking Denzel Ward's deal. He should be easier to convince, and having two veterans bite a bullet for the team will certainly help set the tone for everybody else in the locker room.
This team isn't as far behind as most people think. They just need to spend that money wisely.