In their statement on Thursday, they made it clear that “Watson’s recovery time and return-to-play status is uncertain, and he will likely miss significant time during the 2025 season.”

The Browns have $44.3 million of Watson’s $46 million base salary covered by insurance. Yes, this means that the Browns will see $44.3 million put back into their cap space. However, this policy would not be cashed out until after the 2025 season, so the Browns would see that total recouped in their 2026 cap space.