Because the Browns sink to the AFC North basement following the offseason extensions for Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski, assigning blame for the Deshaun Watson decisions will come up because the organization moves forward.
Jimmy Haslam got here out and said his GM hatched the plan to propose Watson the fully guaranteed $230MM. That contract call prompted the quarterback to waive his no-trade clause for Cleveland after he had previously eliminated the team from consideration. Two-plus years after Haslam’s comments, Berry said the organization was in agreement on the move.
Asked if ownership mandated the Watson trade cross the goal line two years ago, Berry said (via ESPN.com’s Daniel Oyefusi) “All of us were on board.” This aligns with a recent report indicating Stefanski was in agreement with Berry in regards to the trade, one which led Baker Mayfield to Charlotte and ultimately has the Browns in a historic predicament.
Watson’s Achilles tear prevented Stefanski from making the choice to bench the high-priced starter, because the fifth-year Browns HC had repeatedly said the embattled QB gave the team one of the best probability to win. Watson ranks last in QBR. When asked if a healthy Watson would play for the Browns again, Berry said (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot), “It’s at all times possible.” Stefanski had declined to substantiate, due largely to Watson’s health, the QB can be his 2025 starter.
Berry, who was hired two weeks after Stefanski in 2020, said the two-time Coach of the Yr is “a part of the answer,” via the Akron Beacon Journal’s Chris Easterling. If ownership is to maneuver on despite signing Berry and Stefanski to extensions (of unknown length), it might be unexpected that one would stay and the opposite would go. So, Berry’s endorsement may not carry an excessive amount of weight here. At 2-7 and with Watson’s guarantees running through 2026, the Browns’ power duo should definitely not be considered locks to return in 2025.
The Browns outflanked the Falcons to land Watson, whom the Panthers and Saints also pursued as finalists three offseasons ago. All teams had agreed on trade terms with the Texans, who collected a historic haul for the Pro Bowl QB. Berry has seen his ability to construct a roster around Watson take a success because of the Browns not having a first-round pick for the reason that trade. The Browns became the primary team for the reason that 1976 49ers (Jim Plunkett) to trade three first-rounders for a veteran QB; to say the deal has backfired can be a light assessment of the situation.
Watson has not slot in Stefanski’s offense, along with his play further declining despite the Browns booting OC Alex Van Pelt for Ken Dorsey this 12 months. Dorsey is now calling the plays in Cleveland, with Stefanski stepping back for the primary time in his tenure, but Jameis Winston — a Watson-backed QB addition — is on the controls. When asked if he regrets not bringing back Joe Flacco, who said repeatedly he desired to return after his Comeback Player of the Yr campaign, Berry responded (via Easterling) the he has “plenty of confidence” within the Browns’ current QB room. Flacco said the Browns didn’t offer him a deal.
Helping construct rosters that feature a bunch of eight-figure-per-year players, Berry authorized two restructures of Watson’s contract — the second of which coming in August. That created cap space in 2023 and 2024 but has two monster cap numbers looking at the Browns for 2025 and ’26. Watson is because of count $72.9MM on Cleveland’s next two payrolls. With the eighth-year player settling his latest civil suit, the probabilities the Browns are bailed out by a second personal conduct suspension have been reduced. Though, an NFL investigation continues.
Because it stands, the Browns are on the hook for 2 more fully guaranteed $46MM base salaries — and the inflated cap hits that got here from the restructures. It could cost the Browns $172MM to chop Watson in 2025, and although that might be spread over two years in a post-June 1 transaction, the sum would greater than double the present single-player dead money record — Russell Wilson‘s $83MM-plus tab the Broncos are navigating. Wilson’s dead cap greater than doubling the previous single-player record illustrates how far into uncharted territory the Browns are due to their controversial 2022 trade.
When asked about how Watson’s contract will hinder the Browns down the road, Berry responded (via Cabot) “We’ll give you the chance to construct a team” no matter that deal being on the books. Whether Berry is around to make those decisions might be perhaps the lead Browns storyline entering the 2025 offseason.
While Haslam authorized Berry and Stefanski extensions, the owner has been quite lively in firing HCs and execs during his 13-year tenure. Will the Watson decisions sink each Berry and Stefanski (or only one?), or will ownership exercise uncharacteristic patience following this season’s significant step back?
