During the second segment of Friday’s episode of PFT Live, Michael Holley and I discussed the potential for the Browns to trade defensive end Myles Garrett, contingent on the new team also taking on quarterback Deshaun Watson’s contract, a topic that was further explored in a recent analysis.

While this trade could relieve the Browns of a hefty $92 million in financial obligations, skeptics argue that executing this trade would be impractical.

To start, Watson’s contract poses significant impracticalities. He is set for a staggering $72.935 million cap hit in 2025, along with an additional $99.835 million in future cap charges from a controversial trade made three years ago.

So, what impact would a trade have? Before June 1, trading Watson would leave the Browns with a dead-money hit of $80.77 million in 2025. Additionally, if Garrett is traded before June 1 (and before March 14), his cap charge would amount to $32.95 million for 2025.

However, if the Browns and Garrett’s prospective team agree to postpone the Watson aspect of the trade until after June 1, the financial implications change significantly. In this scenario, Watson’s cap charge drops to $26.935 million for 2025, with the remaining $53.835 million pushing into 2026.

Moreover, if the trade involving Garrett is similarly delayed until after June 1, and he consents to extend the deadline for his $18.541 million option bonus until around June 5, his cap charge for 2025 would significantly reduce to $3.63 million, with the rest allocated to 2026.

This post-June 1 trade strategy for both players would see the pre-June 1 cap charge decrease dramatically from $113.72 million to just $30.565 million.

The crux for the Browns lies in whether enduring a tighter cap situation for the next two years is worth it to eliminate the obligation of another $92 million tied to Watson. Additionally, by moving on from Garrett, they would also sidestep a further $19.796 million expense in 2025, achieving a combined saving of $111.796 million over time.

Regardless of the outcome, the Browns currently face a complicated salary cap situation stemming from the Watson contract. This issue will persist for a longer duration—and will ultimately cost them an extra $92 million—unless they find a way to divest themselves of the last two years of that deal.

If another team is eager enough to acquire Garrett while assuming this financial responsibility, the situation may not be fully resolved, but it would certainly be alleviated.