“Cap jail? This is like cap execution,” NFL insider Albert Breer bluntly describes the Browns’ financial mess with Deshaun Watson. That $172.7 million albatross isn’t just weighing down Cleveland’s salary cap—it might be sinking their locker room too.

The Browns’ 2024 season reads like a horror story. Their 1-5 start marks their worst since 2017. Now, after shipping Amari Cooper to Buffalo, trade whispers are swirling around defensive cornerstone Myles Garrett. NFL insider Albert Breer spilled the tea on The Rich Eisen Show, hinting at deeper cracks in Cleveland’s foundation.

Breer pulled back the curtain on a telling sequence of events. It started with Cooper’s spring holdout, followed by a July compromise. Then came the shocking Brandon Aiyuk pursuit—with Cooper potentially included in the trade bundle. “If you’re Amari Cooper and you see that, that’s going to make you a little sideways, isn’t it?” Breer pointed out. That same tension might now be bubbling up with Garrett.

The Watson situation isn’t helping. Breer dropped a bombshell: “I think if it weren’t for the contract, he would probably be sitting right now.” The numbers back this up. Watson’s -66.2 total EPA through Week 6 ranks dead last among QBs since 2000, making JaMarcus Russell’s -63.8 look decent. One touchdown in 29 drives tells its own story.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski keeps doubling down. “I think Deshaun gives us the best chance to win,” he insisted, according to Mirror US. But Watson’s press conferences paint a different picture. Asked about fixing the offense, he paused awkwardly before mumbling, “Just keep working on them, I guess.” As Breer notes, “How hard are they being on him? Are they telling him the truth?”

Meanwhile, Cooper’s exodus to Bills has some interesting connotations.

Cooper’s Buffalo escape raises more red flags

Cooper’s three-hour drive up I-90 East from Cleveland to Buffalo wasn’t just a journey—it was an escape. “It kind of felt like a long drive to my first day of school,” Cooper shared on Wednesday, describing it as an “introspective drive.” That speaks volumes about the situation he left behind.

The five-time Pro Bowler didn’t hide his relief at joining Josh Allen’s Bills. “It’s that feeling of having a fresh beginning, a blank canvas that you get to control your destiny,” Cooper beamed from Buffalo’s facility. The contrast between his old and new situations jumped off the page.

Breer’s insights paint a broader picture of Cleveland’s chaos. “Those calls will come,” he warned about potential trades for stars like Garrett. While ESPN’s Adam Schefter maintains the Browns won’t move their defensive star, the mere existence of such speculation reveals deeper issues.

The Browns find themselves trapped. As Breer explains, Watson’s guaranteed millions force them “to do everything they possibly can to make it work.” Meanwhile, Cooper thrives in Buffalo, Garrett trade rumors swirl, and Cleveland’s season spirals. Sometimes, the worst jail isn’t the one with bars—it’s the one built with dollar signs.