Much has been written about Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson’s salary as the quarterback signed a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract in 2022.
Cleveland’s decision to sign the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback to one of the largest contracts at the time signaled their belief that the team had found their answer at quarterback.
Three years later, that decision has paid little to no dividends.
The Browns are currently mired in a five-game losing streak in 2024, and Watson will now miss a significant portion of the season for the third consecutive year.
While fans and analysts are critical of the Browns’ decision, Cleveland did make a smart investment to cover their investment, one that could help the team in 2025 and beyond.
According to the X account Spotrac, Cleveland purchased insurance to protect the team from absorbing the entire amount of his salary should Watson be injured in 2024.
“Per a league source, $13.9M of Deshaun Watson’s 2024 compensation has been insured by the Browns, which should lead to a small salary cap credit for the team in 2025,” the post said.
Per a league source, $13.9M of Deshaun Watson's 2024 compensation has been insured by the #Browns, which should lead to a small salary cap credit for the team in 2025.
These insurance policies are becoming much more prevalent as NFL contracts continue to soar.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) October 21, 2024
The social media post noted that these types of insurance policies are becoming more commonplace as players’ salaries skyrocket.
ESPN also confirmed the existence of the Browns’ insurance policy in a recent story about Watson’s injury and the impact it will have on the team.
“According to a copy of Watson’s contract obtained by ESPN, the Browns have up to $13.9 million of Watson’s 2024 salary insured and up to $44.2 million of his 2025 salary insured,” analyst Daniel Oyefusi wrote.
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