The Cleveland Browns face significant challenges in addressing their roster issues due to limited financial flexibility. The Deshaun Watson trade has left the team in a tough spot, and even a projected increase in the salary cap to $270 million in 2025 won’t be enough to cover all their needs.
Zac Jackson of The Athletic highlights that Watson will account for around 25% of the Browns’ cap space, and the team is already burdened with $40 million in dead money from Amari Cooper and Za’Darius Smith’s contracts. Letting go of those players further hinders their ability to assemble a competitive roster.
The Watson trade has yielded little benefit for the Browns, as his time with the team has been marked by suspension, injuries, and underwhelming performances. Additionally, the loss of valuable draft picks in the trade has deprived the team of young talent to replace aging players, forcing them to rely on unproven options—an approach that rarely leads to success.
While teams like the Kansas City Chiefs have defied the odds with rookie-heavy rosters, such outcomes are exceptions rather than the rule. To make matters worse, the Browns can’t easily move on from Watson due to his massive contract. Trading him is unlikely, and releasing him would result in a significant dead cap hit, compounding their financial woes.
