Cleveland’s stunning move for Watson in 2022 has fallen flat. Watson has only played 12 games due to a lengthy suspension and injuries. And when he has been on the field, Watson has not looked like the Pro Bowl quarterback he was in Houston.
Following the transaction, the Browns committed $230 million in fully guaranteed money to Watson. He’s committed to Cleveland through the 2026 season. His cap hit is roughly $64 million for each of those years. However, if Watson fails to impress, the Browns may still look into other choices.
According to Zac Jackson of The Athletic, the “worst-case scenario” for the Browns is Watson being hurt again or failing to look like a viable option following season-ending shoulder surgery.
“What if he isn’t healthy in 2024 and gets hurt again? What if the offence doesn’t improve after Watson returns to play under new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey?” Jackson wrote on April 28. “Twenty-five months and three drafts later, the Watson deal could still be remembered as a big mistake. If that’s the case, the Browns could be on the quarterback market next year, despite Watson’s contract extension through 2026.”
Browns haven’t reflected on the Deshaun Watson trade.
The Browns will have a first-round pick next season. Due to the Watson trade, the team has not had access to this technology in the previous three rounds. Cleveland handed up six picks in total, including three first-rounders.
At this point, it’s safe to say that the Houston Texans won the trade. The Texans humiliated the Browns 45-14 in a Wild Card game, ending their 2023 season.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry said he hasn’t considered the deal to be finalized now that Houston has utilized all of their Watson picks.
“I’ll be honest in truth, I haven’t thought about it that way or spent any time reflecting on it,” Berry stated on the morning of April 27. “I just look at it as, ‘Hey, here are the resources for a certain year. How can we best apply them to improve the team in the short and long term? So that isn’t anything I think about.”
Berry joked that they have “for now” a full complement of picks but are looking forward to a more thorough draft.
“It will be fantastic to have almost all of our draft picks back. “How we deploy them will be determined over the next year,” Berry said.
Deshaun Watson Expected to be ready for Week 1.
Watson appears to be doing well with his injury rehabilitation. Although he is not anticipated to be fully cleared until training camp, Watson appears to be ready for Week 1.
“We feel really good about it,” Berry stated on April 18. “I won’t make any predictions because you never know. But it is certainly what we expect.”
Watson has been adamant about being ready for Week 1.
“When I’m throwing it, everything is fluid and the motion is really good,” Watson remarked on April 16. “The velocity and strength are excellent. I feel incredibly wonderful and secure in myself.”
Watson has 2,217 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions with the Browns.
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