Deshaun Watson’s contract came into question after the risky trade of the Browns during the 2022 NFL offseason. The controversial reputation of the Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson seems to have no impact on the future of the NFL player. It is not an unknown story that the 26-year-old Deshaun has over 20 lawsuits based on the victims’ accusing the player of sexual assault and misconduct.
Despite all of these, Cleveland won Deshaun for its team, but the NFL fans are questioning the purpose of having someone so problematic in the group. Moreover, these fans asked if Watson could participate in the 2022 games. All these queries were piling up, but on Thursday, the answer was finally provided as an update on Deshaun Watson’s contract status after he broke the basic NFL behavior rules.
After concluding, hopefully, Watson will receive an 11 weeks suspension. Well, he can play for the 2022 games, and his first match will be in Week 13. So, he will be playing against the Texans, the same team he was once a part of.
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But the main doubt still lingering in the fans’ minds is how the NFL and NFLPA settled upon this punishment. Will there be any suspension cost imposed on Watson? If yes, how much will it be? So, after all the revisions on the contract and payment, here is a complete breakdown of Watson’s earnings is likely to be.
Deshaun Watson’s Contract
Deshaun Watson’s contract renewal after trading from the Texans to the Browns gave the player a $230 million contract deal. He will earn the entire amount as decided during the trading despite his legal proceedings.
Why Will Deshaun Watson’s Salary Be Only $1 Million?
To be exact, Watson will be getting a basic salary of $1.035 million for the first year. But why so? Well, Cleveland has recently signed veterans for long-term contracts who will have low base salaries during the first year, and then it will gradually increase. However, many think this decision came after considering Deshaun Watson’s contract. This may be a way to minimize the economic effects on Watson’s earnings during the suspension.
Reports claim Watson will be losing only 1/18 annual base salary per week. So, for a suspension in 6 games, Watson will lose $345,000, whereas $632,500 for 11 games suspension.
In case the basic salary of Watson was the same as that of the other four years, then we could have expected the deduction to be made of $46 million. With all the beliefs, Watson would have to suffer a loss of $28.11 million. But so is not the case since his base salary is now $1.035 million, and the Browns are saving him a huge chunk of money. Moreover, Watson even got a $44.965 million signing bonus. Thus, the loss incurred isn’t that major.
What Will Happen To Deshaun Watson’s Contract After His Suspension?
Well, the duration of the suspension will be specified in Deshaun Watson’s contract. If he gets a suspension period of less than a year, it will only cost him 1/8 of the weekly base income. However, the contract will likely expire if the suspension period is for a year or more. This will lead to a delay in the agreement by a year. Furthermore, the due payments for 2022 will be automatically pushed to 2023. So the same flow will continue for the upcoming years. Besides, Watson will also witness a delay in becoming a free agent by a year with this. However, the details are yet to be out!
Will Deshaun Watson Forfeit Any Salary With Suspension?
We know that the $230 million in Deshaun Watson’s contract is a guaranteed lump sum. The ardent NFL followers are now wondering if the Browns can regain any money due to this suspension. Well, they won’t be able to do so. The contract states that the Browns are in no place to ask back the signing bonus or salary from Watson. Since the clauses are already laid, Brown will not be all to get back the $8.933 million prorated signing bonus anymore.
As of now, Deshaun Watson’s contract is protecting his money and the player himself, even if there are further negotiations. The suspension term will be out as the new season starts. So, an exciting turn of events is awaiting the NFL world.
