CLEVELAND (AP) — A person familiar with the situation says the Cleveland Browns restructured quarterback Deshaun Watson’s $230 million contract to create salary-cap space ahead of NFL free agency.
The Browns can convert Watson’s base salary into a signing bonus and create $36 million of room, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team is not publicly disclosing any information.
The Browns reached agreement with center Ethan Pocic and defensive end Ogbonnia Okoronkwo on three-year deals and agreed to a four-year contract with defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson.
Bengals sign Pratt
The Bengals lost starting safeties Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell on the first day of free agency, so they shored up their defense by agreeing on a $21 million, three-year deal to keep linebacker Germaine Pratt in Cincinnati, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Monday.
Bates is heading to Atlanta and Bell, a former Ohio State standout, is going to Carolina.
Pratt, one of the league’s top coverage linebackers, has started 54 games in four seasons.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal with Pratt can’t be announced until Wednesday.