Deshaun Watson is paid like an elite quarterback. Will he start playing like an elite quarterback soon?

Given the talent on their roster, the Browns don’t necessarily need Watson to be the player he was at his peak to be the team they want to be. They won 11 games despite starting four different quarterbacks last season, including Watson just six times.

However, given the amount of money Cleveland has invested in Watson, it is beginning to feel like it is now or never for the former Texans quarterback to live up to his standards.

For Watson, the contract served its purpose. His future with the Browns may have been in question after he was injury-prone and inconsistent on the field in 2023. However, given the salary Cleveland is paying him, the franchise could do little but hope Watson returns to form in 2024 after three years of ailments, a suspension and injuries.

Here’s a look at Watson’s mega contract and how little it has paid off for the Browns so far.

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Contract details for Deshaun Watson

Watson signed a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract extension after being traded to the Browns in 2022. The contract runs through 2026.

Cleveland’s decision to give Watson a fully guaranteed contract – unprecedented for a deal lasting more than three years – sent shockwaves through the NFL and caused many to question whether other high-profile quarterback contracts would be fully guaranteed in the future.

Although Lamar Jackson is reportedly seeking a fully guaranteed contract, that hasn’t materialized in the league. Watson remains in a class of his own in terms of guarantees, which is notable considering he hasn’t played anywhere near like a top quarterback since the trade.

Watson has the NFL’s highest salary for 2024 at $63.8 million, but his contract doesn’t make him the highest-paid quarterback in terms of average value. In fact, Watson ranks 10th in the league at $46 million. All nine quarterbacks ranked above him have recently signed contract extensions.

A standout season from Watson could change the way people look at his contract, but the Browns just haven’t gotten what they paid for it so far. Here’s a look at Watson’s contract by the numbers so far.

Deshaun Watson’s contract in numbers

Watson averages $46 million per year, which is quite a lot for a player who only scored 14 touchdowns in his first two seasons.

Over two seasons ($92 million), this equates to:

• $6.6 million per touchdown pass
• 7.7 million dollars per launch
• 11.5 million dollars per win
• $450,980 per completion
• $47,498 per yard

There is one caveat to those numbers. The cap hit of Watson’s contract is heavily deferred, so the Browns haven’t taken a major hit to their balance sheet from Watson’s contract over the past two seasons. Watson’s cap hit was just $9.4 million in 2022 and $19.1 million in 2023, but will be just under $64 million each year through 2026.

However, Watson got what his contract says he would get, earning $45.4 million in 2022 and $46 million in 2023 solely from bonuses, which is exactly the average annual value of his contract.

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Highest paid NFL quarterbacks