1. Is Deshaun Watson Hurt? — Injury Update
Deshaun Watson’s career has taken a serious hit due to injury concerns. In October 2024, while playing for the Cleveland Browns, Watson suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
He underwent surgery on October 25, 2024 for the initial tear. However, in a setback during his recovery, Watson re-ruptured the same Achilles tendon. The second surgery was confirmed by the Browns, and they stated that his “recovery time and return to play status is uncertain.”
Medical timelines suggest an Achilles tear typically requires 8-12 months of recovery. But because Watson re-injured it, that timeline may be longer, raising doubts about his availability for the entire 2025 NFL season.
An NFL insider, citing Adam Schefter, mentioned that Watson could be “a good month away from being cleared for any football activity,” but added that long-term return remains uncertain.
2. Personal Life — Wife / Partner
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Deshaun Watson is not married yet, but he is engaged to his longtime girlfriend, Jilly Anais.
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Jilly Anais is a singer, actress, and author, known for her creative work including a cookbook.
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The couple has been together since around 2019 and went public with their engagement via a beach proposal.
3. Cap Hit — Contract Details
Watson signed a fully guaranteed 5-year, $230 million contract with the Browns when he was traded to Cleveland in March 2022. Some key contract/cap details:
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Signing bonus: approximately $44.96 million.
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Average annual salary: around $46 million.
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The Browns restructured his contract to clear cap space: they converted about $44.745 million of his salary into a signing bonus.
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After restructuring, his 2025 base salary was reduced to $1.255 million, while a large portion was converted to a bonus to give the team cap relief.
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The Browns also added void years to his contract (years in which the contract effectively becomes invalid) to spread out his cap liabilities.
Because of the structure and guarantees, releasing Watson would trigger a massive dead-cap hit, making it financially difficult for the Browns to simply cut him.
4. Contract End
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As per the restructured deal, Watson’s contract runs through 2026, but there are void years beyond that (after 2026) which give the Browns more flexibility.
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The rework indicates that the 2027 season was voided as part of the restructuring.
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So, his guaranteed commitment basically ends in 2026, though the financial implications (dead money) may stretch beyond due to the void years.
5. What This Means for the Browns & Watson’s Future
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Watson’s repeated Achilles injury raises serious concerns about his durability and long-term role with the Browns.
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The restructuring suggests the Browns are trying to protect themselves financially while also retaining him, but they are also preparing for other quarterback options, especially if his recovery doesn’t go as planned.
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If Watson cannot return to form, his large guaranteed contract becomes a liability, and Cleveland may have to rely on insurance, or absorb a large cap hit.
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On the flip side, if he recovers well, the Browns could still benefit from his high ceiling.
