The Browns have a messy quarterback situation. It could eventually get even messier.
The addition of Tyler Huntley caused many to point out that the Browns now have five quarterbacks. No. They have six.
Deshaun Watson is still on the team. And he’s trying to get himself ready to play after a twice-torn Achilles tendon.
At some point, he’ll be healthy. At some point, he’ll be cleared. What happens when he shows up with a piece of paper in hand that tells the world he’s ready to play?
The Browns may prefer to stash him on the physically unable to perform list, for all of 2025. They owe him the money whether he’s on the roster or not. They qualify for maximum insurance coverage (and eventually cap relief) if he can’t play.
If he can play, the Browns will have to move him to the 53-man roster, or release him. That could prompt the Browns to disagree with Watson, even if it sets the stage for a formal grievance — with Watson saying he’s healthy enough to play and the Browns saying he’s not.
The stakes are high for the Browns. If they opt not to put him on the roster with their existing clusterfudge of quarterbacks, releasing him would set the stage for a devastating 2026 cap charge of $131.161 million. (They’ll still be absorbing those cap dollars, in time.)
The best outcome for the Browns is to get Watson to want to spend the season on the PUP list. But why should Watson play along? Earlier this year, owner Jimmy Haslam told reporters the Watson trade and contract were “a big swing and a miss.”
Why would Watson want to do Haslam any favors? Watson wants to prove Haslam wrong. The best way to do that will be to show up and play. And play well.
So, yes, the mess the Browns have at quarterback can still get worse. It will if/when Watson shows up and says he’s ready to play.
