The Cleveland Browns have been heavily linked to Deshaun Watson over the past few days, and their latest cost-cutting move could better position them to make a run at the Houston Texans quarterback. On Tuesday, the Browns saved more than $8 million in cap space with their decision to part ways with veteran center JC Tretter, per May Kay Cabot.

Tretter had spent the past five years with the Browns, starting 16 games in each of his seasons with the team. He spent the first three years of his career with the Packers before moving to Cleveland in 2017. Despite his longevity and consistent availability while in Cleveland, Tretter was released in order to open up more cap space for the Browns.

Live and breathe the NFL?

🚨 Get viral NFL graphics, memes, rumors and trending news delivered right to your inbox with the Clutch Newsletter.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that this is a move to clear up space in order to potentially take on the contract of a star quarterback such as Watson, but it would make sense for that to be the case. The Browns have been rumored to be interested in bringing Watson to town after criminal chargers were not placed against the Texans’ quarterback. Prior to the ruling, any dealings for Watson were considered to be murky, with his legal status remaining a red flag. Now, it looks as if teams are far more willing to enter talks to land the 26-year-old, and the Browns are anticipated to be at the forefront of his market.

Any deal for Watson would likely see Baker Mayfield head the other way, as well as a plethora of draft capital and some young talented players. It would be a steep price, but landing a talented QB such as Watson could finally result in the Browns reaching their potential.