ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Daniel Oyefusi report that Browns QB Deshaun Watson “believes he isn’t against staying in Cleveland beyond 2026 if things go well.”

21 May 2026

Frankly, Watson might not stick with the Browns after this season if things go poorly either. If the Browns release him next offseason and designate him as a post-June 1 release, they will incur the second-largest salary cap hit in NFL history ($86.2 million), spread over the 2027 and 2028 salary caps. They still might do it, depending on how things shake out. New Browns coach Todd Monken said he has not watched much film from Watson’s “injury-riddled play” in Cleveland because he believes it would be “unfair” to say that era represents the former Pro Bowl quarterback’s abilities. Watson is being given a real chance to earn the starting role this season, but it remains to be seen how much he has left in the tank.