Browns' trade for Deshaun Watson was 'big swing and miss,' team owner says
The Cleveland Browns took a big leap of faith when they traded for Deshaun Watson and signed him to a five-year deal reportedly worth up to $230 million, all of which was guaranteed.
Watson’s performance on the field has been one to forget. He has gone from a three-time Pro Bowler who was a force to be reckoned with on the field to an oft-injured quarterback who has rarely seen the field.
That is all without the baggage of more than two dozen sexual misconduct allegations that came with him from Houston to Cleveland.
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On Monday, Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam admitted the Watson trade was a mistake.
"We took a big swing and miss with Deshaun. We thought we had the quarterback, we didn’t, and we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him. So we’ve got to dig ourselves out of that hole," he told reporters from the annual league meeting in Palm Beach, Florida. "Listen, I’ve said this I think numerous times, Deshaun Watson was an entire organization decision, and it ends with (co-owner) Dee (Haslam) and I, so hold us accountable."
Watson was suspended to begin his tenure in Cleveland and only appeared in six games in 2022. The following season, six games again. He then only played seven games in 2024 after he suffered a ruptured Achilles during a home game.
The 29-year-old quarterback has yet to throw for more than 1,200 yards or touchdown passes. He has nine wins in 19 starts.
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Cleveland made the playoffs in 2023 as Joe Flacco took over as the starting quarterback for Watson. Before that, Baker Mayfield broke the Browns’ playoff drought.
The Browns have re-worked Watson’s contract twice since December with void years being added through 2030 to give them some financial flexibility to spread out dead money on the contract instead of taking a massive hit in one season.
The organization also has insurance that protects the contract and could get some relief from the NFL if he is out for the season.
The draft also presents the Browns with an opportunity to pick a quarterback.
Cleveland has the No. 2 pick in the draft, which could mean selecting either Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders.
However, Haslam stopped short of saying the team needed to take a quarterback that early.
"I think the message is if the right person’s there, we’re going to take him,‘’ Haslam said. "If not, we’ll figure it out for a year or two until we get the right person. There’s good football players in this draft and we’ve got to make sure we get the right ones for us."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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