The Cleveland Browns finally learned on Thursday that newly acquired quarterback Deshaun Watson will be suspended for the first 11 games of the 2022 NFL season. That's a big blow for a team with playoff aspirations, but it might've been better for Cleveland if Watson was banned for a full season like the NFL originally wanted.

Watson, despite the incoming suspension, was handed a fully-guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract, the largest in NFL history, after the Browns traded with the Houston Texans.

As ProFootballTalk noted, if Watson was suspended for the entire 2022 campaign, then his contract — which pays a paltry $1 million this season — would have tolled until next year. Instead, the Browns are on the hook for $46 million in 2023 when Watson will presumably be available for the entire season.

That's not the only advantage that the Browns missed out on.

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If Watson's contract had tolled, then the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback would not have hit the free-agent market until 2027. He'll now become an unrestricted free agent in 2026, which allows him to sign another massive contract extension a year earlier.

There's a strong argument to be made that, despite all of that, it's still advantageous for the Browns to get their franchise QB back this season. He can either help the Browns make a playoff run in Week 13 and beyond or he will be able to get acclimated to his new franchise and hit the ground running in 2023. However, from a business and long-term perspective, the Browns certainly could have benefited from Watson being banned for the entire season.

Deshaun Watson will be eligible to return from his suspension in Week 13 against his former team, the Houston Texans.