NFL insider: Deshaun Watson guaranteed contract has 'owners sweating'

When former Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson signed a five-year deal with the Cleveland Browns, he also unwittingly changed the landscape for all NFL quarterbacks moving forward. His contract for $230 million – fully guaranteed – will impact every team with young star QBs, according to NFL insider Peter King.

The Browns can afford the massive amount needed in escrow to guarantee Watson that money. However, other teams, such as the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Chargers, may not, as King describes.

Watson’s deal puts QB agents on notice

“Every year, after the Super Bowl, the NFL totals the guaranteed money that each team has on its books,” King wrote. “In the case of Watson, when the league does its accounting next winter, it will tell the Browns they have to put $184 million (the sum total of the final four years of the contract owed to Watson) in escrow to cover the commitment to Watson.

“So, you ask, why does this matter? Because the next two quarterbacks likely to be in line for mega-deals, Joe Burrow of Cincinnati and Justin Herbert of the Chargers, are employed by owners that have football as the family business. Mike Brown (Bengals) and Dean Spanos (Chargers) don’t have anywhere near the liquidity of teams with money from other businesses behind them; Haslem, for instance, is a truckstop magnate.

“The guarantee for Watson stunned GMs and club presidents—I can tell you that. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ contract is 19-percent guaranteed. Buffalo QB Josh Allen’s is 39-percent guaranteed. … Contracts always get piggybacked. Agents and players will certainly try to continue the fully guaranteed trend.”

Baltimore Ravens owner takes shot at Cleveland Browns

Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, a divisional rival, called the Deshaun Watson deal into question during an interview with ESPN.

“I don’t know that he should have been the first guy to get a fully-guaranteed contract,” Bisciotti said.“To me, that’s something that is groundbreaking, and it’ll make negotiations harder with others.”

Watson is currently facing a civil case with multiple sexual misconduct allegations against him. The Browns told reporters that they conducted their own independent investigation of the details surrounding the case. However, reports indicate the organization did not reach out to the accusers.