Deshaun Watson's contract has been reworked again by the Cleveland Browns as the team looks to clear salary cap space with the new league year less than one week away.
A person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press on Thursday that the latest restructuring of the quarterback's contract will clear nearly $36 million in cap space for the Browns. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the move.
Watson's restructured contract was first reported by ESPN. The Browns were nearly $22 million over the cap before restructuring Watson's deal.
It is the second time in three months that Watson's contract was reworked. In December, the sides added void years through 2030 to give the Browns additional financial flexibility to spread out dead money on the contract instead of taking a massive hit in one season.
The 29-year-old Watson may miss the entire 2025 season after rupturing his right Achilles tendon for the second time in three months in January. He originally injured it during an Oct. 20 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Browns have insurance that protects the contract and could get some cap relief from the NFL if he is out for the season.
Watson has played in only 19 games since the Browns acquired him from the Houston Texans in 2022 and signed him to a fully guaranteed $230 million contract.
He missed the first 11 games in 2022 because of a league suspension, made just six starts in 2023 before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury and started seven last year before the Achilles tendon injury.
Cleveland, which went 3-14 in 2024, has the second pick in April's NFL draft. It hosted Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward — the top two quarterback prospects — this week as teams can bring up to 30 draft-eligible players in for visits.
The Browns are also expected to sign a veteran quarterback when free agency begins on Wednesday.
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FILE - Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) is carted off the field after getting injured in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
FILE - Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson watches during the second half of an NBA basketball game between the Orlando Magic and the Golden State Warriors, Wednesday, March 27, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Donald Trump’s doctor says the oldest man to be elected president is “fully fit” to serve as commander in chief as the White House released the results of Trump's physical exam from Friday.
Trump is 78, and his physician, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, cited what he said is Trump’s “active lifestyle” and said it “continues to contribute significantly” to the Republican president's well-being. Trump turns 79 on June 14.
In a report released Sunday, the doctor said in a summary that Trump is “fully fit to execute the duties of Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.”
The results showed Trump has dropped 20 pounds since his last physical as president in 2020. He weighed 244 pounds then and is now down to 224 pounds.
The exam summary noted that Trump previously had cataract surgery on both eyes, but the report did not include a date or dates. A common procedure among aging people, the surgery typically involves removing a cloudy eye lens and replacing it with an artificial lens to help clear up vision.
In July 2024, according to the report, Trump had a colonoscopy that found a benign polyp and the condition called diverticulosis. It’s a common condition in which the walls of the intestine weaken with age. It can lead to inflammation, though most people with it never experience any problems.
Barbabella wrote that Trump remains in “excellent health” with “robust” cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and general physical function."
The doctor said Trump’s days include participating in multiple meetings, public appearances, media availabilities and “frequent victories in golf events.” Trump is an avid golfer who said he recently won tournaments played at clubs he owns in Florida
Trump’s cholesterol levels have improved over time, helped by the medications rosuvastatin and ezetimibe.
At his physical in January 2018, his total cholesterol was 223. In early 2019, the reading came in at 196 and it stood at 167 in 2020. Today it is 140. Ideally, total cholesterol should be less than 200.
His blood pressure was 128 over 74. That is considered elevated, and people in that situation are likely to develop high blood pressure unless steps are taken to control the condition.
Trump has a resting heart rate of 62 beats per minute, in line with previous tests. A normal resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60 beats to 100 beats per minute, and generally, a lower rate implies better cardiovascular fitness.
Trump also takes aspirin, which can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Associated Press writer Jonathan Poet in Philadelphia contributed to this report.
The report on President Donald Trump's health after his physical on April 11, 2025, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, released by the White House on behalf of his physician Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, is photographed Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)
The report on President Donald Trump's health after his physical on April 11, 2025, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, released by the White House on behalf of his physician Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, is photographed Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)
President Donald Trump arrives at Palm Beach International Airport, Friday, April 11, 2025, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
