Did the Texans win the Deshaun Watson Trade?: Browns’ ownership call trade a ‘swing and miss’

The Brief

• Deshaun Watson’s tenure with the Cleveland Browns has been hampered by multiple injuries, limiting his effectiveness as the starting quarterback.

• Browns ownership has acknowledged the trade for Watson as a misstep, taking full responsibility for the decision and its consequences.

• The Houston Texans have benefited from the trade, with the draft picks received turning into key players, including Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson.

  

Three years later, the Cleveland Browns are looking back at a trade they made with the Houston Texans as a failure, according to their owners.

The backstory

In March 2022, the Houston Texans completed a trade that sent their then-star quarterback, Deshaun Watson, to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for six draft picks, including three first-round selections.

This trade occurred amid Watson’s legal troubles, as he faced numerous lawsuits for sexual misconduct. Despite the significant number of picks and Watson’s uncertain legal future, the Browns and their ownership believed the trade was worthwhile.

So much so that they signed him to the largest guaranteed contract in NFL history at the time, a five-year deal worth $230 million.

Now, three years later, the Browns are acknowledging that Deshaun’s tenure in Cleveland has been a disappointment.

“We took a big swing and miss with Deshaun”
What they’re saying

Over the weekend, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam spoke to reporters during the NFL owners’ meetings in Florida.

He was candid about his feelings regarding Watson’s time with Cleveland. “We took a big swing and miss with Deshaun,” Haslam told reporters.

In the three seasons Watson has been in Cleveland, he has played in only 19 games, winning less than half of them.

Additionally, he has battled multiple injuries during his tenure, limiting his success as the starting quarterback for the Browns.

Despite these circumstances, Browns ownership has taken responsibility for the misstep with this trade.

“We thought we had the quarterback; we didn’t, and we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him. We’ve got to dig ourselves out of that hole. … [The trade] was an entire organization decision, and it ends with Dee and I, so hold us accountable,” Haslam stated, referring to the decision he and his wife, co-owner Dee, made to finalize the trade.

How the Watson trade improved the Texans
The other side

On the other hand, the six draft picks the Texans received in return for Watson from the Browns have turned into key players for the Texans, either directly through the draft or via trade.

These include 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson, wide receiver Tank Dell, and starting defensive backs Calen Bullock and Kamari Lassiter.

In retrospect, a controversial deal at the time worked out in the Houston Texans’ favor.

The Source

This information was collected from statements made by Cleveland Brown ownership.