All the way back in 2022, the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns completed a blockbuster trade for star quarterback Deshaun Watson. Watson had shown flashes of brilliance with Houston but he found himself in major trouble off the field. The Texans decided it was time to part ways and Cleveland became a suitor for his services.
Despite all of the off-the-field legal issues that Watson had been dealing with, the Browns felt comfortable acquiring him. However, they didn’t stop there and quickly signed him to an unprecedented fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract. The Browns believed that after so long, they had finally found their quarterback of the future.
But fast forward just a few years and the Watson trade looks like one of the worst in sports history. And with the conclusion of the 2024 NFL Draft, the trade is now officially closed in the record books.
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In the deal, the Browns traded a 2022 first-round pick, a 2022 fourth-round pick, a 2023 first-round pick, a 2023 third-round pick, a 2024 first-round pick, a 2024 fourth-round pick and a 2024 sixth-round pick. Houston traded Watson and a 2024 sixth-round selection.
The picks that the Texans received are all now done and the results couldn’t be different. Houston drafted offensive guard Kenyon Green, running back Dameon Pierce, star defensive end Will Anderson Jr, wide receiver Tank Dell, cornerback Kamari Lassiter, linebacker Jamal Hill and safety Calen Bullock. They also did a pick-swap deal with the Minnesota Vikings for the 2024 first-rounder that they received.
The Browns still have Watson but traded away the 2024 sixth-round pick to land wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. On the surface, the Browns got their quarterback despite all of his issues. But Watson has looked like a shell of himself since returning to the football field. He has played in 12 total games through two years with the Browns, throwing for 2,207 yards, 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
His decision-making on the field hasn’t been great and the Browns have played much better with him not playing. Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco took Cleveland to the postseason this year, giving the offense some life when Watson went down with an injury.
So, through two years, the Browns look like they were completely fleeced in this deal. His explosiveness isn’t there any longer and it seems that all his problems off the field may have played a role in how he performs on it. This isn’t what Cleveland signed up for when they traded for him but Watson became almost a villain around the league.
While Watson and the Browns have struggled, Houston is now thriving. They made the postseason last year, defeating the Browns in the Wild Card round. Houston has the look of a major up-and-coming team, boosted by all the draft picks in the Watson trade. One lookback on this deal and it’s clear to see that the Texans easily were the winners in the end.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.