Coming out of college, Deshaun Watson was projected to be an early first rounder in the NFL Draft in 2017. Predictions were correct as the Houston Texans took him 12th overall. Watson went on to make multiple Pro Bowls and win multiple playoff games with the Texans, something the franchise had never seen from a quarterback on their team. But, the 2020 NFL season saw a major shakeup within the Texan’s organization – one that would ultimately change the team’s entire trajectory for the coming years.
The Texans had a record of 4-13 in the 2020 season. Watson still put up massive numbers, but the team around him was just simply not performing to the level it once was. The problems during the off-season were not just the surrounding team, though. During that off-season, multiple accusations of sexual misconduct came towards Watson, which led him to sit out the entire 2021-2022 NFL season. After the season, Watson demanded a trade from the Texans, as he did not agree with the team’s various coaching changes and wanted to get away from the criminal charges against him.
Over in Cleveland, the Browns were having quarterback troubles of their own. After nursing a shoulder injury during the 2021 season, quarterback Baker Mayfield’s time in Cleveland seemed to be over. His stats were mediocre, and the Browns’ organization agreed that Mayfield was too immature to be a leader (even though he led Cleveland to their first playoff win since 1994). The Browns traded Mayfield away to the Carolina Panthers, thus laying the groundwork for a potential blockbuster quarterback trade.
On March 18, 2022, the Browns indeed made a blockbuster deal for Texans’ quarterback Deshaun Watson, despite his ongoing legal issues. Deshaun Watson and the Texans’ 2024 6th round pick were traded in exchange for Cleveland’s first round picks in 2022, 2023, and 2024, as well as a 2022 4th rounder, a 2023 3rd rounder, and a 2024 fourth rounder. With those picks, the Texans were able to rebuild into a young, competitive roster that is currently in the AFC playoff picture. Meanwhile, the Browns are struggling.
Deshaun Watson’s years with the Browns have been plagued with injury. He had a season ending injury in both 2023 and 2024, and also missed several games in the 2022-2023 season with a suspension. Watson has also put up abysmal stats with the Browns and has looked like a shell of his former All-Pro self. To go with his lackluster play, Watson also has a massive guaranteed contract, which is stopping the Browns from cutting him or trading him, as it would come with a massive hit to the Browns’ cap room.
The Browns have started journeyman quarterback Jameis Winston the past couple weeks, and his good play has shown that Deshaun Watson is one of the Browns’ main problems and should have never been the solution. While the Texans largely benefited from the trade and have turned into a playoff team, the Browns have shown that they are in fact better without Watson and should have never made this trade in the first place.
