Could the Steelers make a trade for the Browns' Deshaun Watson?
The Cleveland Browns' decision to trade for Deshaun Watson has proven to be one of the biggest mistakes in NFL history. In 2022, the Browns sent three first-round picks, a third-round pick, and two fourth-round picks to the Houston Texans for what they thought could be their franchise signal-caller. They did this despite sexual harassment allegations, an impending suspension, and the fact that the quarterback missed the entire previous season with the Texans.
To make matters worse, Cleveland signed Watson to a new five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract. At the time, it was the largest guaranteed contract in NFL history. The move has set the team back in the biggest way imaginable, and it is a big reason why the Browns are picking second overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Watson has been a disaster in Cleveland, and it is time for the Browns to cut their losses. With a high draft pick at their disposal, now is the time to find Watson's replacement and ship off the Clemson product via trade.
Not a lot of teams make sense as trade partners, considering Watson's questionable reputation, his subpar play as of recent, his injury red flags, and his disastrous contract. Given the context of their quarterback room, though, the Pittsburgh Steelers are one team who just might trade for him.
Steelers trade for Deshaun Watson
Steelers receive: Deshaun Watson, 2026 first-round pick, 2027 third-round pick, 2025 seventh-round pick
Browns receive: 2025 seventh-round pick
Any trade involving Watson will be far from normal. Unlike most trades, especially ones involving quarterbacks, the Steelers wouldn't have to give up assets to add Watson to their roster. Instead, The Browns will have to add draft capital to a deal just to get rid of the three-time Pro Bowler. Ironically, the first time we saw a team trade away draft capital just to move off of a player was in the Brock Osweiler deal that landed him in Cleveland.
In this hypothetical trade, it takes premier draft assets to get a deal done, including a first-round pick in 2026. The Browns were one of the worst teams in the NFL this season, so this pick could end up being near the top of the draft again next year. There are a lot of risks associated with trading for Watson, but that pick could be incentive enough to trade for him, considering the Steelers aren't giving up anything of value in this deal.
The Steelers have struggled to find a quarterback ever since Ben Roethlisberger retired, and he wasn't even all that good in his last few years in the league. Last year, the team had a quarterback carousel involving Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. While Fields is a great rushing quarterback, he has struggled as a passer, and it resulted in the team benching him in favor of Wilson. The ex-Seattle Seahawk/Denver Bronco has had a great career, which included a Super Bowl victory, but he clearly isn't the player he once was.
Now it looks like there is a good chance that neither player will be on the team in 2025. Fields already signed with the New York Jets, and Wilson remains a free agent despite the initial wave of free agency already passing by. Unfortunately, the Steelers weren't set up well this offseason to add one of the best quarterback options. Sam Darnold signed with the Seahawks right away, and the Steelers only have the 21st pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, meaning they are out of the running for Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders.
That again puts them in position to employ a bridge quarterback next season, which is why they've been linked to Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers is 41 years old, though, so Watson would provide the team with more long-term upside. While Watson has struggled with injuries and on-field play during his Browns tenure, he still hasn't reached the age of 30 yet. Additionally, he was viewed as one of the best quarterbacks in the league during his days with the Texans, and it is possible that he can rediscover that talent.
Risks of adding Deshaun Watson
Watson made the Pro Bowl in three of his first four seasons, and he even led the league with 4,823 passing yards in his last fully healthy season. Not to mention, the former number 12 overall pick can get it done with his legs, too. The kicker here is that Watson does have a no-trade clause on his contract, so he'd have to agree to any potential deal. Watson and the Browns relationship has clearly soured, though, so it would make sense that he'd be interested in a fresh start.
This would certainly be a risky trade for the Steelers. Watson will likely miss all of 2025 after re-rupturing his achilles, so he doesn't even really qualify as a bridge quarterback, and the team would still need to find an option to lead the offense next season. Perhaps Rodgers could still be in the running even after a Watson trade. That aforementioned injury might mean that Watson will never reach his on-field potential, either.
The Steelers might not find their quarterback of the future this offseason, though, so adding a player who might just recover enough to become that in 2026 might not be the worst idea in the world. Watson's recent contract restructure helps to ease the financial burden of having him on the roster, too. The wise man would advise against this trade for Pittsburgh, point blank. The Steelers haven't necessarily been logical with their quarterback decisions in recent years, though, so you can't fully write off a Watson-to-Pittsburgh deal.
Future of the quarterback position for the Browns
Releasing Watson was never much of an option for the Browns, considering his massive contract and the dead money ramifications that would come with releasing him. As mentioned earlier, a trade is unlikely as well. The Browns would be smart to pursue one, though, even if it does mean sacrificing future draft picks.
Cleveland is poised to draft either Ward or Sanders second overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. As of now, it appears Ward is the frontrunner to be the Tennessee Titans pick, so the Colorado product is looking like the logical pick for the Browns. With a new quarterback, and one that the Browns can't mess up after so many failures at the position, it would be smart to eliminate all distractions for the rookie.
Having a player like Watson still in the quarterback room would certainly qualify as a distraction. The team needs to embrace a new era, and they already have a backup quarterback option because they traded for Kenny Pickett.
With the financial and off-the-field mess that is Deshaun Watson, it is highly unlikely that a team would actually trade for him. It is just as hard to predict what a trade would actually look like if it came to fruition. If there is a team that would consider adding him this offseason, it is the Steelers, and he could be motivated by going to a division rival of the Browns. Regardless, Cleveland should be looking to move him at all costs.
