The Cleveland Browns made a bold move by trading for Deshaun Watson in 2022. So far, it has not paid off and the Houston Texans are reaping the benefits.
Cleveland sent three first-round picks (2022, 2023, and 2024), a third-round pick in 2023, and fourth-round picks in 2022 and 2024 to the Texans in exchange for Watson.
The Texans used those picks to accelerate their rebuild. Some of the players acquired — either directly or indirectly — include receiver John Metchie III, as well as linebackers Christian Harris and Will Anderson Jr.
The Texans traded the Browns’ 2024 first-round pick (No. 23), but the assets from that trade were ultimately used to acquire All-Pro receiver Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Bills.
Houston is loaded and Hannah McNair, the Texans vice president and wife of Texans owner Cal McNair, feels the team has the Browns to thank.
“Thank a Brown. Have you thanked a Brown lately?” McNair said recently on the “Ultimate Fan” podcast. “I thank them for all of our players.”
The comment is especially painful, considering how the trade came full circle in the postseason. The Texans ended the Browns season with a 45-14 walloping.
Deshaun Watson in Make-or-Break Year With Browns
Following the trade, the Browns signed Watson to an unprecedented $230 million fully guaranteed deal. Cleveland recently restructured Watson’s contract, creating about $35 million in cap space.
Through two seasons, Watson has appeared in 12 games for the Browns. He missed the majority of the 2022 season, serving an 11-game suspension and is coming off a season-ending shoulder injury that limited him to six games last year.
The Browns hope this is the year that Watson can turn things around. They need him to look like the Pro Bowl quarterback he was in Houston.
“He is in a good spot mentally and physically,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said in May on the The Pat McAfee Show. “I think he’s a lot more comfortable within the organization. You know, we have a core group of guys on offense that have now played together for a number of years.
“We do expect to hit the ground running on that side of the ball, and I know he is very excited about returning to the playing field and getting over this injury. We do have high expectations for him and the offense this season.”
When Watson has been on the field, the results were mixed. He has a 8-4 record as the starter and has passed for 2,217 yards, 14 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Ready for Week 1
Watson is expected to be a full-go for Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys. He didn’t play in the preseason but did participate in almost all of training camp and also got in a lot of work during joint practices with the Minnesota Vikings.
The Browns initially planned to play Watson in the preseason finale. But the team ultimately decided to hold him out for various reasons, not one of which was his health.
“With Deshaun, just with considerations to the guys who were out on offense, not just the offensive line, but just didn’t feel like it would be best to put him out there in this setting,” Stefanski said on August 25. “Very, very confident in the amount of work that he’s gotten to date throughout the spring and summer, and he’ll be ready to roll Week 1.”
The Browns are a 2.5-point favorite for the opener at home against the Cowboys.
