Deshaun Watson Injury: The Browns' $230 Million Gamble Now Looks Even Worse

In the world of sports, almost everything is a gamble. Whether we're talking about drafting a promising prospect, sending in a specific play-call or signing a star to a big-time contract, there's always a chance of things going bust.

That is what happened to the Cleveland Browns, at least for the 2023 campaign.

On Wednesday morning, the club announced that Deshaun Watson was done for the season. He will be going under the knife in an attempt to ensure that he's back to his best in 2024.

And while that's a reasonable goal—sometimes it's better to lose a battle to avoid losing the war—the surgery still shines a stark light on Watson's $230 million contract. That deal was always a risk, but now things look even uglier.

Watson's Injury-Affected Season Is Over

When the Browns acquired Watson in March 2022 and handed him a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract, the expectation was that he would take charge as the franchise quarterback. More than a year later, though, he's barely made an impact.

During the 2022 campaign, Watson only played six games due to an NFL suspension. When he returned, he didn't exactly set the league on fire.

This year, though, was supposed to be different. Having spent a year in Ohio, Watson was expected to return to something like his old self. In reality, though, that didn't happen. A rotator cuff issue limited both his availability and his effectiveness, and the QB only threw for 1,115 yards and seven touchdowns in six appearances.

And that will be his final stat line for the 2023 campaign. On Wednesday morning, Cleveland announced that their signal-caller was officially done for the season.

"Deshaun Watson underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Monday on two injuries sustained on different plays in the first half of Sunday's 33-31 win over the Baltimore Ravens. Imaging on his left ankle revealed a high-ankle sprain. In addition, postgame, Deshaun notified our medical staff of a new discomfort in his right shoulder that he felt after a hit in the first half. An MRI of his right shoulder revealed a displaced fracture to the glenoid," the Browns explained in a statement.

"Despite performing at a high level and finishing the game, after consultation with Browns' Head Physician, James Voos, MD, and industry-leading shoulder specialist, Neal ElAttrache, MD, it has been determined that this injury will require immediate surgical repair to avoid further structural damage. Deshaun will be placed on season-ending injured reserve and a full recovery is expected for the start of the 2024 season."

Watson's Guaranteed Contract Looms Large

If we take the Browns' statement at its word, Watson will be back to full health in 2024. Even with that expectation, though, an injured throwing shoulder followed by shoulder surgery designed to prevent further structural damage isn't the ideal trajectory for a quarterback.

At the risk of stating the obvious, Watson's entire career is predicated on his ability to throw the ball. If he loses some of that ability or takes longer than expected to recover, then the Browns have a gaping hole in their offense.

But wait, you may be saying, this is the NFL. Can't a player get cut, even if he's hurt?

That's where Watson's contract comes into play.

Remember how we noted that the Browns fully guaranteed the quarterback's $230 million deal? Well, that money will have to be paid out, regardless of whether Watson is on the roster or not.

That, in turn, makes it virtually impossible to release him. Cutting the quarterback in 2024, for example, would leave Cleveland with a minimum of $155 million in dead money per Over the Cap. Those penalties would lessen with each passing year, but releasing Watson before the end of his deal won't ever save the club money.

And remember, Watson's cap hit doesn't magically vanish if he's unable to play. If he's not ready in 2024 and spends time on injured reserve, his nearly $64 million cap hit will tie the Browns' hands. Even if the club wanted to risk quarterback controversy by bringing in a big-time replacement, the finances wouldn't work.

Ultimately, that's what it comes down to. Watson isn't "at fault" for getting injured here. Football is a contact sport, and things happen. It's more about the circumstances of the deal.

Paying big money for one player, no matter how talented they may be, is a risk. Making that contract fully guaranteed ratchets things up even further. When the money is committed, all it takes is a single bad break (pun not intended) for the house of cards to come tumbling down. That can affect everyone—players, coaches, executives and even fans—tied to the organization.

And, unfortunately for Cleveland, that's the exact situation the Browns are staring down.