Revisiting Deshaun Watson trade two years later: Texans fleece Browns by capitalizing on major draft capital

[Auggie]

cbssports.com / Nov. 6, 2023

SNIP

Based on Watson's performance and injury history, the Browns made a bad trade. What the Texans got in return only makes the deal that much worse for Cleveland.

What the Texans received
2022 first-round pick: G Kenyon Green (via trade)
2023 first-round pick: DE Will Anderson Jr. (via trade)
2024 first-round pick: TBD
2023 third-round pick: WR Tank Dell (via trade)
2024 fifth-round pick: TBD

The Texans used some creative maneuvering of draft picks to get three lynchpins for their franchise thanks to having extra first-round picks as part of the Watson deal. Houston selected Green after originally having the No. 13 pick from Cleveland, but the Texans traded down two spots with the Philadelphia Eagles and selected Green at No. 15 overall. The Texans also received the 124th, 162nd and 166th overall selections from the Eagles, which they actually used in a series of other deals to land wide receiver John Metchie III (second round), linebacker Christian Harris (third round), running back Dameon Pierce (fourth round) and Thomas Booker (fifth round).

With the 2023 first-round pick, the Texans traded up with the Arizona Cardinals to draft Anderson -- right after they selected C.J. Stroud with their own pick at No. 2 overall. Houston also ended up receiving Arizona's fourth-round pick, but traded it to Philadelphia for a 2024 third-round pick.

Houston traded up four spots to land Dell at the No. 69 pick from the Los Angeles Rams, getting a key wideout for Stroud in the process. The Texans also exchanged sixth-round picks and used that pick to acquire two seventh-round picks. One of the seventh-round picks they used to select safety Brandon Hill. Houston used the other seventh-round pick to trade back up into the sixth round and select wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/revisiting-deshaun-watson-trade-two-years-later-texans-fleece-browns-by-capitalizing-on-major-draft-capital/

Players the Texans landed in the Watson deal after their draft trades ... so far:

Kenyon Green
John Metchie III
Christian Harris
Dameon Pierce
Thomas Booker
Will Anderson
Tank Dell
Brandon Hill
Xavier Hutchinson
2024 first-round pick
2024 third-round pick

Meanwhile (as the link explains and as we all know), Cleveland paid Watson $230 million in fully guaranteed money -- a $63.977 million cap hit over the next three years.

All this for a QB who has made 12 starts, completed 59.8% of his passes for 2,217 yards and 14 touchdowns to nine interceptions (81.7 rating). Watson has averaged just 184.8 pass yards a game with the Browns.

Cleveland can't even get out of the Watson deal until 2027. The Browns would pay a $136.9 million cap penalty in 2024 or a $73 million cap penalty in 2025 by releasing him.

Maybe Watson recovers from injuries and proves all this wrong. But IMO the Texans are poised to compete for years. Browns not so much.

[Botany]

1. So far Watson has been a bust

And Good God in Butter is C.J. Stroud good. And what happened to Flaco

[Diamond_Dog]

4. What happened to this great defense we kept hearing about? Did they leave it at home?

[Botany]

7. Myles Garret was a no show

The whole Cleveland team was a no show

[Angleae]

16. They're the best defense when they are at home, but dead last when away.

https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/opponent-points-per-game

[bahboo]

2. The Cleveland Curse continues.....

[Botany]

6. Cleveland's owner Jimmy Haslim is a MAGA supporter

I have always been a Browns fan but he makes it hard.

[Diamond_Dog]

3. They looked totally unprepared to play Houston.

[True Dough]

5. Didn't expect Houston to win today, as I'd expressed previously

But they are the type of team I could cheer for from here on in. Serious underdogs overcoming some significant injuries, and Houston has never won a Super Bowl.

Go Texans!

[RockRaven]

8. The Browns absolutely punched themselves in the dick with that contract,

even setting the trade aside, and it couldn't have happened to a more deserving owner.

And it isn't just the fully guaranteed money, or the dollar/year number. It is how they have maximized the deferring of cap accountability as much as possible in the first two years. They created an unavoidable salary cap landmine for themselves.

Good!

[calguy]

9. Cleveland trading for Watson isn't quite as bad as

Denver trading for Wilson.

[Ferrets are Cool]

10. At least Wilson is not an abuser of women

[calguy]

11. True

[Auggie]

13. I disagree

The Watson trade sets Cleveland back years. Those draft choices would have been productive players this year and four-five years to come. IMO they'll be lucky to keep the team together after this. If I were a free agent I'd bolt.

[calguy]

15. Good points

[AZLD4Candidate]

12. Brown in the color of shit and trade for an over-rated sex fiend turned them into complete crap.

It Watson is a cooked as he looked before injury, Cleveland is in deep trouble. Also, Watson isn't there supporting his team through injury, which makes others question his leadership on the field.

Houston took complete advantage of a team too quick to dump Baker.

[Auggie]

14. +1. Cleveland had an adequate QB in Baker ...

and could have built, perhaps, the best defense in the history of the NFL around Garrett. Think 2000 Ravens, only better.

Dickheads