Browns have one big reason to start Deshaun Watson before end of season

The Cleveland Browns actually have a key reason to start Deshaun Watson before the 2026 season comes to a close.

Nov 23, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) looks on in the first half against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Deshaun Watson has been a controversial presence hanging over the Cleveland Browns all season. He is still only in the fourth year of his five-year, $230 million contract that has backfired tremendously for the organization.

He has spent the 2025 season recovering from an Achilles injury, but the team decided to provide a major update Wednesday afternoon. Watson is now activated to practice and the team has 21 days to determine if they want him on the roster or if he will remain on the PUP list for the remainder of the season.

#Browns Deshaun Watson worked on the backup field early on with Dillon Gabriel and Bailey Zappe, while Shedeur Sanders worked on the opposite end with the ones. pic.twitter.com/liTcaoVvHo

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) December 3, 2025

The Browns are currently 3-9 and are trending toward another top pick in the NFL Draft. Thus, there is no competitive reason to rush Watson back onto the field. Yet there is one legitimate reason the team may want him out there before the year ends.

That reason is to showcase Watson for a potential trade in 2026.

Let's begin with the financials. The Browns would take on a major dead-cap hit of just over $85 million, per Over the Cap, if Watson is traded before June 1, 2026. That figure drops way down to right under $35 million if they trade him after June 1.

NFL teams are constantly desperate for competent quarterback play. While Watson has had a disastrous tenure in Cleveland, he has been injured multiple times.

Other teams may also assume this is a Browns issue, and that Watson can get back to his old ways in a new organization. The only way to build interest is to have him on the field and prove he is fully recovered from his injury. The only way to prove that is to put him on the field.

It's no secret this would likely go over terribly with most Browns fans. Watson could get loudly booed at home during a time in the year when losses help more than wins. But the boos don't take away the fact he is making $46 million annually.

A trade next summer is the best way to recoup something for this entire situation and for the organization to move on in a productive way. Even one solid performance could get teams interested heading into the offseason.

The Browns took a huge swing on Watson and it backfired in their faces. The goal now should be to figure out how to move on from him as fast and feasibly as possible. A trade next summer achieves that goal.